Wish's Story

Following a session with BIHR about human rights, an advocate at Wish (a user-led charity providing independent advocacy to women with mental health needs) decided to produce a leaflet for women detained in a mental health hospital about their right to take part in an upcoming general election. The advocate produced a leaflet about the rights of the women on the ward (detained under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act) to take part in elections, protected by Article 3, Protocol 1 of the Human Rights Act. The hospital staff were supportive of this information being circulated and as a result several of the women decided to register to vote for the general election.