Human rights monitoring in closed institutions in the Baltic States

Project duration

April 2003 – April 2006

Donor

European Union

Project goal

To ensure human rights in mental health care institutions (psychiatric hospitals and psychoneurological insitutions).

Project results

Project goal was achieved implementing the following activities:

Providing legal support for individuals residing in psychiatric hospitals and psychoneurological institutions.
Gathering information about living conditions in those institutions and ensuring protection of the rights there.
Informing institutions’’ residents about human rights.
Publicizing reports on human rights situation and recommendations for protection of human rights in mental health care institutions.

During the first project year (April, 2003 – April, 2004) a group of experts visited psychiatric hospitals in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Kaliningrad region and analysed human rights situation there. This allowed to get to know the specifics of human rights in different countries. Additionally, due to the use of the same questionnaire there was a possibility to compare collected data and to provide joint region analysis.

During the second project year (April 2004 – April 2005) main focus was on the mental health care and social care institutions in Lithuania. Collected data was summerized in the project report, which was presented to the members of Lithuanian Parliament, representatives from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Security and Labour, NGOs and general society.

During the third project implementation year (April 2005 – April 2006) child rights monitoring was carried out in Lithuanian children care homes. In total 22 institutions which are responsible for children education were visited. Collected information was presented in separate publication “Child rights in closed care and education institutions”. Publication was presented to the experts and society.

Project partner

Latvian Centre for Human Rights (LCHR)