Legal Protection For People With Mental Disorders (ODGJ) On the Streets

Abstract

People with mental illness (ODGJ) often experience discrimination, violence, and neglect in public spaces, especially on the streets. This condition creates an urgency for legal protection to ensure that their rights as citizens are fulfilled. This article discusses various legal instruments that regulate protection for ODGJ, both in national laws such as the Health Law and the Human Rights Law, as well as in international regulations adopted by Indonesia. In addition, this study examines the role of the government, law enforcement officials, and the community in providing protection and rehabilitation for ODGJs living on the streets. Through a juridical-normative approach and analysis of the implementation of existing policies, this article finds that although there are various regulations that guarantee the rights of ODGJs, there are still gaps in their implementation in the field. Therefore, synergy is needed between the government and the community to create more effective protection mechanisms, including the provision of more accessible mental health services.