Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, jointly celebrated the International Human Rights Day with collaboration of Directorate General of Health services, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, and Manas Mitra, at R.B. Davis Auditorium CIP, Ranchi on Friday.
The inaugural address of the programme was given by Director & Professor Basudeb Das, who emphasized the value of protecting the basic human rights of mentally ill individuals. After paying homage to General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who died in a helicopter crash on December 8, en route to Wellington, Tamil Nadu, the program officially began. Professor (Dr.) Kesava Rao, Vice-chancellor of the National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, was the Chief Guest. Colonel (Dr.) Rajesh Kumar, Registrar and Professor of Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University, Ranchi, was the guest of honour. Professor (Dr.) Rao urged enlightened individuals to reexamine their roles and activities they play for downtrodden segments of the society like mentally ill individuals. According to him, people's understanding of human rights is very shallow and obscured. Many a time human rights are explained and presented surreptitiously by agencies and groups in accordance with their own commercial interests.
Dr. Suresh Bada Math, Professor (Psychiatry), NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Dr. Aarti Jagannathan, Additional Professor (Psychiatric Social Work), NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Col. (Dr.) Rajesh Kumar, Registrar and Professor, Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University, Ranchi and Koushik Bagchi, Assistant Professor, National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi are invited to talk about the various aspects of human rights that affect people with mental illness. The Seminar was organized by the Department of Psychiatric Social Work of the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi.
Professor (Dr.) Suresh Bada Math emphasized that human rights cannot be understood optimally without taking mental health and hygiene into account. Dr. Bada Math reminded the audience about the clauses and provisions enshrined in the various international agreements and understandings drafted by the United Nations Organization from time to time. Koushik Bagchi, Associate Professor at NUSRL, Ranchi explained the avenues of protecting the human rights of vulnerable people. Additionally, he discussed the roles and responsibilities of various national statutory bodies in ensuring the basic rights of ordinary citizens as well as vulnerable groups like people suffering from mental illness.
Professor (Dr.) Aarti Jagannathan spoke on the rehabilitation and aftercare needs of people with disabilities, including those with severe mental disorders. She stated that, the society should understand the rehabilitation needs of these people and not offering them the appropriate rehabilitation services would itself be a violation of their rights. This Hybrid Seminar was organized by the Department of Psychiatric Social Work of the Institute and nearly 100 people participated in the seminar using the Zoom link and 100 people were present in the venue. Dr. Dipanjan Bhattacharjee, Associate Professor and Head of Department of Psychiatric Social Work gave the Vote of thanks in the Inaugural Session.
