HRMHI
Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative
Sehnaz was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1975. After having studied business administration, she realized that she has a greater interest in social projects and volunteered for different children's and women's rights organizations. After the major earthquake in 1999, she worked in the earthquake's epicenter region in psychosocial support projects and this experience further shaped her interest in psychosocial support for disadvantaged communities.
Psychological trauma became one of the major subjects which she became specifically interested in, and studied at the New York University for a one year term. After finishing her studies, she decided to become a clinical psychologist and has recently finished her MA in Clinical Psychology. She has always been interested in mental health and psychology, a complimenting issue in her life as a close relative was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Through him, she witnessed the difficulties of living with a long-term mental health problem.
In 2003, Sehnaz started working with Mental Disability Rights International and did a study on the situation of people with mental disabilities in Turkey in terms of human rights, which has been very empowering, supportive and inspiring for her. Based upon this experience, she with 6 other people established an NGO called Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative in 2006 and is currently the general coordinator of this organization. In addition, she also works as a psychotherapist with children and adults.
HRMHI was established by "experts by experience", i.e., people with mental disabilities and their relatives who have been experiencing the difficulties, discrimination, and social exclusion due to a psychiatric diagnosis or developmental disability. It is the first NGO in Turkey which approaches the issue with a human rights perspective. The majority of members and all board members are "experts by experience."
Activities and programs include:
Raising Public Awareness and Campaigning: HRMHI informs the general public about the rights of people with mental disabilities. HRMHI organizes press campaigns to advocate for the rights of people with mental disabilities. HRMHI organizes collaborative campaigns with other national and international NGOs. HRMHI also publicizes good examples of social inclusion of people with mental disabilities, when found.
Trainings for People with Mental Disabilities and Other Relevant Groups: HRMHI organizes human rights training workshops and publishes materials for people with mental disabilities and different NGOs that are interested in the issue.
Human Rights Monitoring and Reporting for Policy Change: HRMHI visits institutions for people with mental disabilities and reports the human rights abuses to the government and to the general public.
Legal Struggle: HRMHI cooperates with voluntary lawyers for defending legal cases of human rights violations and provides legal consultancy to people with mental disabilities.
Since its establishment, rate of participation in the activities of HRMHI has been quite high. The reports presented to the local and central governmental authorities have been taken serious. The first steps for a national policy change have been realized.
http://www.rusihak.org/
Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative
Sehnaz was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1975. After having studied business administration, she realized that she has a greater interest in social projects and volunteered for different children's and women's rights organizations. After the major earthquake in 1999, she worked in the earthquake's epicenter region in psychosocial support projects and this experience further shaped her interest in psychosocial support for disadvantaged communities.
Psychological trauma became one of the major subjects which she became specifically interested in, and studied at the New York University for a one year term. After finishing her studies, she decided to become a clinical psychologist and has recently finished her MA in Clinical Psychology. She has always been interested in mental health and psychology, a complimenting issue in her life as a close relative was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Through him, she witnessed the difficulties of living with a long-term mental health problem.
In 2003, Sehnaz started working with Mental Disability Rights International and did a study on the situation of people with mental disabilities in Turkey in terms of human rights, which has been very empowering, supportive and inspiring for her. Based upon this experience, she with 6 other people established an NGO called Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative in 2006 and is currently the general coordinator of this organization. In addition, she also works as a psychotherapist with children and adults.
HRMHI was established by "experts by experience", i.e., people with mental disabilities and their relatives who have been experiencing the difficulties, discrimination, and social exclusion due to a psychiatric diagnosis or developmental disability. It is the first NGO in Turkey which approaches the issue with a human rights perspective. The majority of members and all board members are "experts by experience."
Activities and programs include:
Raising Public Awareness and Campaigning: HRMHI informs the general public about the rights of people with mental disabilities. HRMHI organizes press campaigns to advocate for the rights of people with mental disabilities. HRMHI organizes collaborative campaigns with other national and international NGOs. HRMHI also publicizes good examples of social inclusion of people with mental disabilities, when found.
Trainings for People with Mental Disabilities and Other Relevant Groups: HRMHI organizes human rights training workshops and publishes materials for people with mental disabilities and different NGOs that are interested in the issue.
Human Rights Monitoring and Reporting for Policy Change: HRMHI visits institutions for people with mental disabilities and reports the human rights abuses to the government and to the general public.
Legal Struggle: HRMHI cooperates with voluntary lawyers for defending legal cases of human rights violations and provides legal consultancy to people with mental disabilities.
Since its establishment, rate of participation in the activities of HRMHI has been quite high. The reports presented to the local and central governmental authorities have been taken serious. The first steps for a national policy change have been realized.
http://www.rusihak.org/
