o Protection of the rights of mental health patients, their carers, and family o Proper identification and definition of terms for better understanding of mental health o The smooth coordination and investigation of human rights violations with regard to mental health treatments o Mental health education for all school levels o Appropriate resources for research o A Philippine Mental Health Council to help implement the law Sources: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). What Are Human Rights? United Nations. https://www.ohchr.org/en/what-are-human-rights Lopez, J. (2021, July 15). Learning Sessions on the Right to Mental Health—CHR: Dignity of All [Webinar]. Commission on Human Rights. World Health Organization Newsroom. (2021, June 10). Community-Based Mental Health Services Using a Rights-Based Approach. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/ news-room/feature-stories/detail/community-based-mental-health-services-using-a-rightsbased-approach Human Rights Violations Against People Living with Mental Health Disorders, and How Stigma Plays a Part in the Abuse Sasha was born with Down syndrome, a condition where a person has an extra chromosome. This genetic disorder creates mental and physical challenges for 12-year-old Sasha, and for everyone else diagnosed with Down syndrome. One of the challenges that Sasha has to deal with is extreme anxiety when she has to go through a transition of any kind. She needs extra time to process new information. Otherwise, any sudden changes to her routine and immediate surroundings triggers intense panic attacks. Her parents, worried that Sasha might have one of her attacks in public, keep their daughter home all the time. When her panic attacks are severe, they lock her in a cage for a few hours until she calms down. The cage is not unlike a dog’s, except Sasha’s has a carpeted floor, a d ouble-size b ed, a nd s ome books and toys. Sasha’s neighbors have no idea she exists. 23 24