31 May 1991

13th plenary meeting

Question of a draft body of principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and for the improvement of mental health care

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling Commission on Human Rights resolution 10 A (XXXIII) of 11 March 1977, by which the Commission requested the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to study the question of the protection of persons detained on the grounds of mental ill-health, with a view to formulating guidelines,

Recalling also its resolution 1989/76 of 24 May 1989, by which it authorized an open-ended working group of the Commission to meet to examine, revise and simplify as necessary the draft body of principles and guarantees for the protection of persons with mental illness and for the improvement of mental health care, submitted by the Subcommission,

Expressing its appreciation to the Commission on Human Rights for having concluded the elaboration of a draft body of principles,

1. Decides to submit the draft body of principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and for the improvement of mental health care and the report of the working group of the Commission on Human Rights to the General Assembly, at its forty-sixth session, with a view to the adoption of the body of principles;

2. Recommends that after the General Assembly has adopted the draft body of principles, the complete text be given the widest possible dissemination, and also recommends that the introduction to the body of principles be issued at the same time, as an accompanying document, for the benefit of Governments and the public at large.