New Zealand Human rights group to Geneva

A human rights group is in Geneva to address what they say is the government's feigned ignorance toward ill-treatment of people in state institutions. 

Waikato mental health advocates are praising the efforts of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), which will meet with the United Nations to represent the voice of Kiwis who are ill-treated under the public system, particularly those with mental illness.

"We stand behind them," said Carolyn McKenzie, chairwoman of Patients' Rights Advocacy Waikato Inc, "in that we believe there are too many treatments of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) given in New Zealand."

CCHR will meet with the UN's Committee Against Torture on Tuesday,ahead of a visit by New Zealand Government bureaucrats, which could shape the government's approach to preventing ill-treatment within hospitals, prisons and state-owned care facilities.

Steve Green, executive director for CCHR, said the aim of the visit was to make the New Zealand government "wake up".

"We want the NZ government to admit ill treatment is happening and has happened and that they will abide by the [UN's guidelines]."

 ECT is one of the aggressive forms of treatment still used in New Zealand, which McKenzie said was a form of torture.

"It's been used as a [form of] torture for a very long time and if the end result is going to cause long term damage then you have to say - this is still torture," said McKenzie.

"I would like to see ECT ended. We know it destroys peoples memory. We see a lot of people who say, I've had ECT and I can't remember things, please help me."

Although the United Nations does not have the power to outlaw such a treatment, McKenzie said the United Nations meeting with CCHR would start the right conversations.

"They have a good track record," she said.

CCHR was founded in the 1970s and successfully campaigned for $13 million compensation payout and apology to almost 200 child victims from Lake Alice Child and Adolescent Unit in Rangitikei. 

One of the victims of the Lake Alice atrocities has gone with CCHR to Geneva, to help represent the victims of state abuse throughout New Zealand. 

CCHR will have a private session with the Committee Against Torture on Monday, just prior to when the committee speak to the NZ Government representatives.

New Zealand signed the United Nation's Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2007 - which allows independent inspectors to visit state-owned facilities where people are deprived of their civil liberties and advocate their protection.

However Green said, this still allowed complaints to be dealt with in-house, where he said patients felt intimidated.

"In all the historic state abuse cases, victims were forced into a regime of having to prove themselves to authorities, as victims, take out a prosecution against the government and most had to appeal for legal aid," Green said.

"The conventions against torture and for the rights of those with disabilities are very well written and if implemented would actually put an end to ill-treatment and abuse..."

Green said this would have a flow-on effect in the corrections department and for patients under the public health system.

"We are targeting right at the bottom level because mental health is such a marginalised section of society [so] then the government will look at everything else they are doing in the same light."

 - Stuff