Commission's Major Activities
National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2016
Exchanges and cooperation with international organizations and NHRIs
The Commission was actively involved in exchanges and cooperation with national human
rights institution (NHRIs) through the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions
(GANHRI) and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF).
The accreditation of “A” status by GANHRI helped raise the Commission's status as a
national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles. Notably, the Commission
became the chair of the GANHRI Working Group on Ageing, leading international activities
for topics related to human rights of older persons. For implementation of the initiatives for
promoting the human rights of older persons adopted at the ASEM Summit in 2014, the
Commission hosted the ASEM Expert Forum on Human Rights of Older Persons from 15 June
to 16, 2016, as a follow-up to the ASEM Conference on Global Ageing and Human Rights of
Older Persons in 2015. The expert forum was attended by ministers, vice ministers, assistant
secretaries, and Ambassadors from ASEM member states, as well as experts from international
organizations, NHRIs, and domestic and international NGOs. A total of 266 representatives from
36 countries held in-depth discussions about ways to promote human rights of older persons.
In view of strengthening exchanges and cooperation with NHRIs, the Commission visited the
NHRIs in Denmark and the Philippines, as well as the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden,
gaining a better understanding of the activities of key NHRIs and renowned institutes. It also
invited the NHRIs in Germany, Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to a training
programme in Korea, strengthening cooperation with these institutions.
To strengthen its network with NHRIs, the Commission participated in the 29th GANHRI
Annual Conference in March 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland, and the 21st APF Annual Meeting
held in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2016 and took part in discussions on various human rights
issues and key decision-making process.
With respect to implementation of international human rights treaties in Korea, the
Commission participated in the 31st UN Human Rights Council meeting and the 60th UN
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting to monitor the discussions. It also
attended the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights where it presented its proposed
National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. Also, by invitation of the 7th Session of
the UN Working Group on Ageing, the Commission, on behalf of NHRIs, made a presentation
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