The College of Law at the University of Baghdad discussed a master’s thesis in the field of public law by the student (Tazhar Emad Taha), entitled “The Right to Public Mental Health and the State’s Duty Towards it in Iraqi Law – A Comparative Study,” on Thursday, October 19, 2023, in the conference hall of the college.
The thesis aims to understand the right to mental health and the state’s duty to ensure and protect it, as well as how to provide countries with limited mental health services with a method that makes it essential like other healthcare services.
The thesis included two chapters: the first chapter discussed the concept and legal nature of mental health, while the second chapter discussed the state’s duty to ensure public mental health.
The thesis concluded with several recommendations, the most important of which is amending the current mental health law to incorporate modern and international developments, including specific provisions for the full rights of mental patients, both domestically and internationally, and a list of mental illnesses based on the latest scientific advancements in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. It also recommended coordinating with the regional administration in Kurdistan in a manner that ensures the effectiveness and quality of healthcare services provided to citizens at both the federal and regional levels.
