Dainius Puras

Dainius Pūras is professor of child psychiatry and public mental health at Vilnius University, Lithuania. He is also a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Development Center of Vilnius university Hospital. Among positions he was holding, Dainius Pūras was President of Lithuanian Psychiatric Association, Dean of Medical Faculty of Vilnius University, Director of the Human rights monitoring institute. During the years 2007-2011 Dainius Pūras was a member of the UN Committee on the rights of the child.  During the years 2014 – 2020 he was serving as a UN Special Rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health. 

Prof. Pūras has been and remains actively involved in national and international activities in the field of developing and implementing evidence-based and human rights based health-related policies and services, with special focus on children, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health conditions and other groups in vulnerable situations, as well as in issues related to promotion of mental health and prevention of all forms of violence.  His main interest is management of change in the field of health-related services regionally and globally, with main focus on operationalization of human rights based approach through effective policies and services.