dc.contributor.author |
Mahomed, Faraaz
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Stein, Michael Ashley
|
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2018-04-23T09:47:44Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2018-04-23T09:47:44Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2017 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
Stigma and associated discrimination against persons with psychosocial disabilities
constitute a considerable barrier to the realisation of the highest attainable standard
of health in South Africa, Africa, and further afield, constituting a significant
human rights violation. This situation is evidenced and exacerbated by mental
health as a whole remaining under-prioritised in law, policy and resource
allocation. States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD) have a duty to address stigma and discrimination through
awareness raising and education. Some important commitments have been made in
this respect, particularly at the policy level in South Africa. Nevertheless, and as
demonstrated by tragic recent events, effective implementation remains lacking.
This article lays out the obligations incumbent upon the South African government
to address stigma and discrimination on the basis of psychosocial disability as a
public health and human rights imperative by examining positive duties
incorporated into international instruments and domestic law and policy. It further
considers the role of political de-prioritisation of mental health and how this
constitutes stigma of a systemic nature, using case law and examples of research and
best practice from South Africa, Africa generally, and beyond. We conclude that
South Africa is failing to meet its obligations to persons with psychosocial
disabilities, and recommend that positive duties be emphasised in potential
disability-specific legislation; high-level political commitment and co-ordination is secured for mental health; the CRPD’s independent monitoring requirement is
urgently fulfilled; and contextually-relevant interventions are crafted with the active
participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities and their representative
organisations. |
en_ZA |
dc.description.department |
Centre for Human Rights |
en_ZA |
dc.description.librarian |
am2018 |
en_ZA |
dc.description.uri |
http://www.adry.up.ac.za |
en_ZA |
dc.identifier.citation |
F Mahomed & MA Stein ‘De-stigmatising Psychosocial Disability in South Africa’ (2017) 5 African Disability Rights Yearbook 64-83 http://DOI.org/ 10.29053/2413-7138/2017/v5n1a4. |
en_ZA |
dc.identifier.issn |
2413-7138 |
|
dc.identifier.other |
10.29053/2413-7138/2017/v5n1a4 |
|
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/64698 |
|
dc.language.iso |
en |
en_ZA |
dc.publisher |
Pretoria University Law Press |
en_ZA |
dc.rights |
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Stigma |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Discrimination |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
South Africa (SA) |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) |
en_ZA |
dc.title |
De-stigmatising psychosocial disability in South Africa |
en_ZA |
dc.type |
Article |
en_ZA |