Mental Health and Rights

Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Nise da Silveira, Brazil’s Museum of Images from the Unconscious is revolutionizing the way we think and talk about mental health.

A growing body of research shows that Western models of mental health don’t work for everyone. When it comes to care or policy, policymakers should first listen to those with lived experience of mental health challenges.

Viewing mental illness as a biological disease of the brain—inevitable, incurable, genetic—is not only wrong on scientific grounds, but neglects the experiences of the best authorities on people’s mental health: themselves.

Archaic colonial era laws originally imposed to control local populations still endure in Africa, allowing police to harass and arrest people who have done nothing wrong.

Once in the system, people with psychosocial or intellectual disabilities can remain trapped forever. Now, a coalition of advocates is altering the landscape.

In a major shift with far-reaching implications, two global institutions acknowledged the impact of mental illness on issues like poverty and economic growth.