What is the future of human rights? A discussion on assisted suicide and mental health

Abstract

The present paper argues that human rights are a wonderful way to understand and to introduce the debate on assisted suicide that our contemporary society needs. People with mental illness are a very vulnerable group in society and we need to do all we can to better protect their rights as they face a lot of stigma and discrimination due to their mental condition. This thesis will first present the main arguments that constitute the existing literature on how assisted suicide contributes to the protection of the human rights of people with mental illness. Secondly, it will demonstrate the practical applicability of the stated arguments through three comparisons of different cases, meant to reinforce the strong points of the debate. Assisted suicide is a strong pain relief and a mechanism that enforces people’s human rights through autonomy and selfdetermination, and it should be an available option for people suffering from a mental condition.