Justin Frewen

In the first of a two part series, an overview is taken of the devastating impact of domestic abuse in Irish life. By Justin Frewen.

It is only in the last couple of decades that the world has focused on the horrific levels of violence perpetrated against women in times of war. Although women and girls have been the victims of sexual violence and other forms of aggression for several millennia, their plight has generally been relegated to the footnotes of historical accounts.  

The link between human rights and mental health is a crucial one. Moreover, it is one that continues to grow in importance. By Justin Frewen and Dr. Anna Datta.

A range of international human rights agreements and principles provide minimum standards as to how states should respect the rights of their citizens. Every person, irrespective of their race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, mental health or any other aspect of their status is entitled to full enjoyment of their human rights.

Irish migrant workers on employment visas face a number of problems. These include high levels of exploitation and discrimination as well as difficulty changing employment. By Justin Frewen.

The 2006 Census informs us that 15% of the Irish workforce was comprised of non-Irish nationals from 188 different countries. Although this has certainly declined since the onset of the current recession, a large percentage still remain.

Thousands of people still struggle with the effects of dangerous levels of dioxin released by the US military in the Vietnam War. By Justin Frewen.

In 1975, after a 30 years struggle against a range of foreign forces, the victorious National Liberation Front of Vietnam forces entered Saigon, the capital of the South. For the first time since its occupation by France in the late 19th century, Việt Nam was independent and no longer subject to the dictates of external powers.

Progressive change in mental health can be made by improving the social and economic status of the poorest. By Justin Frewen and Dr. Anna Datta.

There is a growing awareness among health professionals and policy makers of the role social and economic factors play in determining good mental health.

Mental health supporters need to engage with economic arguments to further their influence. By Justin Frewen and Dr. Anna Datta.

When discussing mental health, we tend to focus on issues such as the distress and suffering of mental health service users as well as the most appropriate manner in which we might respond to their needs. The human rights of mental health service users are also a significant issue and have been assuming a more important role in this debate thanks to the efforts of bodies such as Amnesty International.

The Sudanese elections taking place now could lead to partition of the country between north and south. Oil will be a key factor in the negotiations if hostility is to be avoided. By Justin Frewen.

Dialogue on Sudan in recent years has tended to focus on Darfur. While understandable given the violence that has happened there since 2003, this focus overshadows important developments in the south of the country.

Advocates of Mental Health could pressurise government into delivering on its 2006 policy document 'A Vision for Change'. By Justin Frewen and Anna Datta.

It has been estimated that the unemployment rate for disabled people in the most developed countries is roughly twice that for non-disabled people. Throughout the EU member states, disabled people are faced with significant barriers both in finding and holding down a job.

Asylum seekers in Ireland are forced to live in exceptionally difficult circumstances and get little support from the public, the media or the political system. By Justin Frewen.

Enveloped in a global recession and the consequences of the disastrous economic mismanagement of the fruits of the Celtic Tiger, life has become considerably more difficult for the vast majority of people in Ireland. As unemployment continues to rise, those who still have work are seeing their wages decrease as taxes and pension levies increase.