Analysis of mental disability policies in Chile from a rights focus
Abstract
The present work aims to critically analyse, from a human rights approach, Chilean public policy concerning mental disability. We review the historical development and the dominant epistemological approaches through a critical hermeneutic analysis of the literature. We conclude that our country has major shortcomings as seen from the perspective of human rights; however, there is a strong mental health approach, limiting a global perspective that
might allow an understanding of the phenomenon from the “mental disability” approach. Finally, dimensions and guidelines are proposed to install a rights based perspective in both situations, leading towards an improvement of the current mental health policy, as well as constructing a more inclusive, citizen oriented mental disability policy.
