Shining Light into Dark Corners government agencies via letter to further explain Meetings An Operational Guide published by the and solicit responses. Then the second questioning UN. Where each participant’s requirements will in writing was carried out according to the be acknowledged in advance during the invitation agencies’ responses, and 7 forums for face-to-face stage in order to provide support and services to discussions with the agencies were held. people with different needs, such as a physical disability, visual disability, hearing and speaking To canvass opinions from persons with disabilities disability, social disability, and mental disability. and associations for persons with disabilities, the events. In addition, 5 focus group discussions, for Placing Emphasis on “Accessibility” and “Reasonable Accommodation,” which are the Fundamental Bases for Collecting “Independent Opinions” different types of disability barriers, were held and At present, when it comes to the needs of the 39 members attended those discussions. disabled in attending conferences, most people NHRC arranged three regional forums in northern, central, and southern Taiwan; a total of 105 association representatives participated in the think of barrier-free environments and facilities, A forum was held in the northern region on April 9, 2021. Human Rights Issue 4 Commissioner Wang Jung-chang shared that sign language interpretation services and real- the CRPD upholds the spirit of “Nothing about time transcription services used in conferences, us without us!” For that reason, each event was which are all necessary for wheelchair users and conducted by following the Disability Inclusive the visually impaired. However, through many Protecting the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities Presenting Independent Opinions Nothing About Us Without Us I n December 2020, the Executive Yuan published Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) proposed the second national report on the Convention on by the Vice Chairperson, Kao Yung-cheng, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The commissioners, Yeh Da-hua, Chi Hui-jung, and National Human Rights Commission appointed Chang Chu-fang on December 10, 2020. The two human rights commissioners, Wang Jung- second independent opinion that is about to be chang and Wang Yu-ling, who have long been published is also an important function and power concerned about the rights and interests of persons stated in Article 2 of the Organic Act of the with disabilities, to be responsible for composing Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission. A forum was held in the central region on February 5, 2021. Ke Kun-nan, Director of the Spinal Injury Association in Taichung. A forum was held in the southern region on February 19, 2021. Luo Shu-xia, Deputy CEO of Children Are Us Foundation. the documents related to the independent 32 opinions. This is the second presentation after the Commissioner Wang Jung-chang and Wang Yu- first independent opinion on the two human rights ling, first pointed out 251 issues that needed to covenants (the International Covenant on Civil and be clarified with regard to the CRPD’s second Political Rights and the International Covenant on national report, and then contacted 21 relevant 33