By Sola Ogundipe

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, has called for policies and laws that will ensure dignity for the mentally ill, even as the World Health Organization, WHO, is advocating better support and care that inspires hope for people with mental health conditions as a way of promoting their rights and dignity.

Making the call, weekend, on this year’s World Mental Health Day, October 10, Ki-Moon said every human being had the right to respect and dignity.

He said: “Everyone is entitled to their hopes and dreams, to work, enjoy family and friends, go about their life without stigma and discrimination and participate in decisions that affect them.

“Policies and laws need to ensure this; services need to promote this and communities need to support this.

“Together, we can help make sure that people with mental health and psychosocial disabilities can live with the dignity that is integral to a healthy and fulfilling life.”

WHO

In a related development, WHO urged for more support and care for people with mental health conditions towards enabling their recovery approach to achieve their goals and aspirations

In a statement to mark the day, with the theme Dignity in Mental Health, the global health body said the dignity of many people with mental health conditions was not respected.

Lamenting that thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world are deprived of their human rights, WHO said they were not only discriminated against, stigmatized and marginalized, but are also subjected to emotional and physical abuse in mental health facilities and the community.