Dovile Juodkaite

Dovile Juodkaite – lawyer, active national and international human rights advocate, graduated from the Law Faculty of Vilnius University, continued her professional training as a scholar at the Columbia University School of Law in Public Interest Law Initiative program. Participated in an Open Society institute Centre for Policy studies, International Policy fellowship program, under the Public Health, Mental disability Advocacy Program (MDAP). In 2010-2011 year completed and received International Diploma in Mental Health Law and Human Rights, organized by Indian Law Society in collaboration with World health organization. 

Since 2002 is actively working in Lithuania and on international scale, focusing on human rights and disability. Currently International cooperation coordinator at the Lithuanian disability forum, previously long-standing (2013-2024) president of Lithuanian disability forum, since 2017 year Board member of European disability forum. In 2017 selected as an Expert on the National WHO QualityRights Assessment Team for human rights monitoring in social and medical closed type institutions in Lithuania. 2020-2030 serving member of European economic and social committee representing Lithuanian disability organizations. 2023-2027 elected member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) on behalf of Lithuania. Candidate of the Republic of Lithuania to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the term 2027–2030.

Title of Speech: 

Between Policy and Reality: Transforming Mental Health Care to Eliminate Violence and Inequality

Abstract:

Violence, coercion, and systemic rights violations remain widespread in social care and psychiatric institutions, as highlighted by the 2025 FRA report Places of Care = Places of Safety?. Persons with disabilities continue to face practices such as involuntary treatment, isolation, neglect, and degrading conditions, often justified under care and safety frameworks, and in all EU countries there are shortcoming in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Human Rights violations are reinforced by the lack of community based services and programs, weak monitoring systems, lack of accountability, and limited involvement of service users in policy design and service provision. Although mental health policies have expanded, their implementation frequently fails to ensure equality, accessibility, and quality of care comparable to somatic services. Tools such as WHO QualityRights emphasize the urgent need for human rights–based monitoring, user participation, and evidence-driven reforms to transform services into safe, inclusive, and rights-respecting environments.