Welcome Address
It is an honor to address my colleagues all over the world to the 16th International Congress in Dubai 2022, dealing with Mental Health and Law.
It is due time to give an importance to the legal aspects of psychiatry instead of focusing only on treatment! Modern forensic psychiatry has benefited from four key developments: the evolution in the understanding and appreciation of the relationship between mental illness and criminality; the evolution of the legal tests to define legal insanity; the new methodologies for the treatment of mental conditions providing alternatives to custodial care; and the changes in attitudes and perceptions of mental illness among the public.
Egypt was the first country in Africa, Asia and WHO-EMRO to have a mental health act in 1944. The Egyptian 1944 Act was recently updated in April 2009, thus making Egypt the African country with the most up to date mental health legislation. In addition, the Egyptian parliament had also passed a law on substance abuse/addiction in 1985, which provides for the involuntary admission of repeated drug offenders in hospitals rather than for their diversion into the criminal justice system. And recently in December 2020, the mental health act was updated with full human rights to mental patients. United Nations report considered Psychiatric Disorders as a disability and the treatment applied is cruel, with torture or degrading punishment and involuntary treatment is inhuman!WPA denied these false accusations as religious, political, or sexual, or sexual preference or orientation are not considered mental disorders. The commission of a crime, generally speaking, involves two components: actus reus (the forbidden act) and mens rea (the guilty intent). The act must be voluntary and conscious, and the intent must be purposeful and/or knowing. Both of these components of the crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Insanity and diminished capacity are defenses to mens rea, and insanity is a complete defense to it and to the crime alleged. Diminished capacity is a relative defense, in the sense that it argues that the defendant was not able to fully form the requisite intent to commit the crime.
Welcome to Dubai Congress and the organizers are pleased to make your stay after Covid-19 Pandemic safe and pleasant!
Professor of Psychiatry, Director of WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Mental Health
Professor And Founder of Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Cairo
President of World Psychiatric Association (2002-2005)
Hon. President of Egyptian Psychiatric Association and Arab Federation of Psychiatrists
Member of the Egyptian Presidential Advisory Council of Distinguished Scientists
Adviser to the Egyptian President for Mental Health and Community Integrity
Welcome Address
Mental health and law intersect in a multitude of ways. The two disciplines ought to constantly inform and transform one another. For example, changes in the understanding of the etiology, clinical manifestation, treatment modalities, and rehabilitation of mental disorders necessitate changes in the way law views issues related to mental health.
Thus, the concept of mental health and law has been significantly broadened in the past few decades as compared to the conventional narrow understanding of forensic psychiatry. Traditionally, the primary concern was related to the criminal aspects of mental health, including the insanity, and could be extended at most to fitness to stand trial and testamentary capacity.
Much of that has changed in recent times, and the intersection of these two disciplines has brought into focus the numerous ways law, psychiatry, psychology, and medicine interface. Thus, the field of mental health and law has become much more multidisciplinary.
People with mental disorders are vulnerable to abuse and violation of their basic rights. Such abuse or violation may occur from diverse elements in society including institutions, family members, caregivers, professionals, friends, unrelated members of the community, and law enforcing agencies. This sets an imperative for a protective mechanism to ensure appropriate, adequate, timely, and humane health care services. Such protective mechanisms include legislative provisions and policies to ensure that the rights of this vulnerable group are protected in the undeniable context that every society needs laws in various areas to maintain the well-being of its people, mental health care is one such important area that requires appropriate legislation.
Nationally and internationally, experts in the field of psychiatry are invited to encourage share in our conference to exchanges of knowledge, experience and best practice.
We hope that this meeting will be of great benefit to all participants. We also hope and trust that you will enjoy our scientific contents and social activities.
We are looking forward to welcome you in this magnificent conference.
President of Egyptian Psychiatric Association
President of Arab Federation of Psychiatrists
Honorary Congress President
Welcome Address
On behalf of our society, it is a great pleasure to invite you to the 16th Pan Arab Psychiatric Congress in collaboration with the 25th Emirates Society Mental Health International Congress, which will take place at the Sofitel Downtown, Dubai on September 23-25, 2022 under the theme of “Mental Health & Law”.
As we overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in the past two year, the 2022 physical edition carries out plenary sessions presenting the latest research and advancements in treatment across many mental health conditions followed by hands-on workshops for smaller exclusive groups. This year’s theme is related to mental health law and offers in-depth information on the new measures to address mental health issues and reduce the stigma associated with it. Also, the collaboration with the Pan Arab Psychiatric Congress will enlighten better practice from the region.
The law debatably plays a more prominent role in psychiatry than in any other field of medicine. Issues of personal and public safety, civil rights, accountability, privacy, confidentiality and competency are woven throughout the practice of psychiatry.
International, regional and national experts from different health and academic institutes will share and discuss innovations in psychiatry and mental health. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to meet and network with colleagues, both regional and international while expanding existing connections or creating new ones and finding opportunities for future collaboration in common areas of interest. More than 500 healthcare professionals are expected to come from around the world.
We are excited to see you at this unique educational experience. We appreciate your active participation and wish you a safe and enjoyable stay in Dubai.
Chair and Congress President
Consultant Psychiatrist
President, Emirates Society of Mental Health, Emirates Medical Association
Head, Psychiatry Department, Rashid Hospital, Dubai Health Authority
Conference Highlights
Target Audience
Psychiatrists
Clinical Psychologists
Social Workers
Psychotherapists
Counselors
Nurses
Occupational Therapists
Educators
Researchers
School Health Medicine
Public Health Workers
CME Information
The 16th Pan Arab Psychiatric Congress & 25th Emirates Society Mental Health International Congress is awarded (14) Credit Points by Dubai Health Authority (Accreditation # DHA/MTS/ACC/22-1657/A)