Public Advocacy

The first-ever recommendations on the right to mental health addressed to Serbia by the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights...

...based on our alternative report on the right to mental health

For the first time, Serbia received five recommendations in the Universal Periodic Review process focused on mental health...

...following our advocacy efforts with international stakeholders and embassies

Amendments to the Law on the Protection of Persons with Mental Disorders, which were contrary to national, international, and professional mental health and child rights standards, were halted...

...after we submitted comments to the Ministry of Health and appealed to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, prompting a response from the Government

Social dialogues on mental health and homelessness were initiated, engaging civil society organizations, citizens, and government representatives...

...after presenting the results of the first study on the mental health of homeless individuals conducted by PIN, which led to the proposal of this initiative.

Psychological assessment became an integral part of the asylum procedure…

...following years of advocacy with the Asylum Office in collaboration with legal representatives and monitoring refugee mental health trends

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We advocate for social change, policy, and practice improvements to implement the biopsychosocial model of mental health care and ensure the right to mental health for all citizens of Serbia.

We fight for:

The improvement of legal, normative, and institutional frameworks for protecting the right to mental health
The alignment of policies and practices in Serbia with international standards
The inclusion of mental health in all relevant public policies
Increased investment in mental health protection
The availability, accessibility, appropriateness, and quality of mental health services
Deinstitutionalization and the development of community-based mental health services
The protection of the rights of individuals with mental health conditions or psychosocial disabilities
The protection of the rights of groups at increased risk of mental health issues (e.g., children and youth, older adults, refugees and migrants, survivors of violence, members of marginalized or vulnerable groups, etc.)

We achieve this through:

The application of national and international protection mechanisms
The analysis, development, and monitoring of policy implementation for improving mental health protection in Serbia, in cooperation with relevant government bodies and academic institutions
Conducting training sessions and informational events, and developing recommendations for service users, providers, local communities, and policymakers
Forming working teams, consortia, and other national and international bodies
Collaborating with national and international experts and human rights protection mechanisms
Establishing and maintaining cooperation with ministries, social welfare centers, community health centers, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, educational institutions, organizations, institutes, and associations working on psychological, social, pedagogical, medical, and scientific issues, both domestically and internationally
Designing and implementing campaigns and other awareness-raising activities