Commission's Major Activities National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2016 Section 2. Key Progress 1. Exchanges and cooperation with human rights groups in Korea A. Day-to-day cooperation In view of supporting the activities of human rights groups and strengthening cooperation with them, the Commission worked on cooperative programmes in Gangwon Province in areas where there is no human rights offices. Through meetings and workshops with human rights groups and civic groups in Wonju and Chuncheon, the Commission was apprised of regional issues and the support needed from the Commission, while the local groups were briefed on the role and functions of human rights offices. With the decision to open the Gangwon Province Human Rights Office in 2017, the Commission established a network with human rights groups and civic groups in the province, while actively receiving feedback on the new human rights office. To give human rights activists in the region better access to the Commission’s publications, video materials, survey reports, and human rights educational materials, the Commission periodically provides 135 books of 74 types to nine groups. B. Joint cooperative programmes The joint cooperative programmes with human rights groups have been organized annually since 2003 for the purpose of facilitating human rights campaigns by civic groups and for identifying and funding various human rights initiatives. The programme selection and funding decision were made based on the potential for human rights promotion, and timely response to human rights issues and their implications. In 2016, a total of 14 initiatives were selected, including monitoring policies for married immigrant women in Korea, monitoring international human rights, making Wonju a healthy human rights city, improving the human rights of North Korean female defectors who settle in Korea, and monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Korea. 90