Adaptation of Persons with Mental Disabilities to Local Community" to conduct a research
on basic livelihood guarantee and residential rights necessary for persons with mental
disabilities to adapt to local communities, which served as a catalyst for researches on
ways to ensure economic, social and cultural rights of persons with mental disabilities.
Concerning policy recommendations, the Commission expressed opinions on six cases,
including political rights of persons with disabilities, a project to support personal
assistants for persons with disabilities, the National Report on the Convention of the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities and overall amendment of the Mental Health Act, making
ceaseless and proactive efforts to promote human rights of persons with disabilities.
In addition, the Commission launched a wide variety of projects to promote human
rights of persons with disabilities and resolution of discrimination against them in Korean
society. They included hosting a discussion session marking the second anniversary of the
enforcement of the Disability Discrimination Act, an international symposium on effective
implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, discussion
sessions on promotion of adaptation of persons with mental disabilities to local
communities, as well as monitoring the implementation of the Disability Discrimination
Act, implementing MOUs with the National Information Society Agency and Korea
University School of Law, conducting research on justified convenience, and publishing
Guidelines on the Implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act (welfare facilities).
However, the Commission experienced difficulties in providing prompt relief of rights
due to the protracted period of processing complaints due to the sharp rise in complaints
despite the scaling-down of its organization and personnel in 2009. It was also faced with
limitations in responding to various social issues in a swift and proactive manner.
However, the Commission is committed to overcoming and improving these problems in
the future.
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Part II. Major Activities of the Commission