Behind Closed Doors: The Human Rights Conditions of Persons with Mental Disabilities in Ethiopian Psychiatric Facilities

Abstract

The Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) headquartered at Central European
University has been carrying out a series of studies in Eastern and Central European
Countries on the condition of persons with mental disabilities, (hereinafter, PWMDs), in
psychiatric facilities titled as "behind closed doors". So far, neither the Ethiopian
Human Rights Commission nor any other international human rights organization has
aired any report from Ethiopian psychiatric facilities. This article is an attempt to unveil
the human rights conditions of PWMDs "behind closed doors" in Ethiopia. As a
signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter,
CRPD), Ethiopia has undertaken to take all appropriate measures for the full inclusion
and participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the mainstream society.
However, the Country has failed to meet its obligations. Among other things, the
absence of a special mental health law for the protection of the rights of PWMDs, nor a
body that safeguards their condition in psychiatric facilities, the irregularities with the
implementation of existing schemes and lack of coordination among responsible
government bodies leave many PWMDs without much-needed support. These people
are suffering from various forms of human rights violations behind closed doors in
addition to lack of access to mental health services. This article has thus an objective of
assessing the human rights conditions of PWMDs at the psychiatric settings in two
selected facilities: the Amanuel Hospital and the Gefersa Mental Health Rehabilitation Center, which are the only major mental health hospital and a rehabilitation center in the country, respectively. The author believes that the assessment of the two institutions
would represent the countrywide perspective.