Human Rights in Mental Health Services – From Legislation to Everyday Experiences
Implementation Period
June 2026 – May 2027
Donor
The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
About the Project
People experiencing mental health difficulties face unequal treatment. From human rights violations – such as restrictions on freedom of choice – to indifference and disrespect, while the availability of community-based services remains insufficient. At the same time, people with lived experience lack knowledge about their rights and experience self-stigma, which limits their ability to self-advocate.
The project aims to strengthen the equal treatment of people with lived experience of mental health difficulties in Lithuania by embedding human rights principles in mental health policy and practice and by increasing awareness and understanding of human rights among this group and other relevant societal actors. The project is grounded in international human rights standards, in particular the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and is oriented toward long-term systemic change.
The project will implement an advocacy campaign focused on improving the Law on Mental Health Care of the Republic of Lithuania and related secondary legislation, with the aim of embedding human rights principles. Civil society will be mobilised to call on decision-makers to expand community-based, human-rights-based mental health services – particularly for young people. Advocacy efforts will be strengthened through a media campaign engaging national media outlets, as well as through a seminar aimed at building support among professional groups.
In parallel, an awareness-raising campaign will be implemented for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties and their relatives. Through co-creation session, gaps in knowledge about rights will be identified and addressed by developing informational materials and disseminating them through a social media campaign. In addition, seminars will be organised to increase participants’ understanding of their rights with hopes of community capable of advocating for its own rights to emerge eventually. A separate seminar will be held for regional NGOs, strengthening their support for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties.
Project Partners:
Project budget: 60 000 Eur
Our part in the budget: 48 380 Eur
