Part II Protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls: NHRIs in action KOREA: INFLUENCING POLICY REFORM THROUGH COLLABORATION During the course of investigating a complaint involving a girl who was forced to drop out of high school because she was pregnant, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea realized that it was common practice for pregnant teenagers to be forced to drop out of school, transfer to another school, take a break from school or leave their school because they feared disciplinary action. In the Commission’s view, and as it found in the case of the complainant, such practices violate the right of pregnant students to education. The Commission felt that the issue required further inquiry and therefore decided to undertake a review of the relevant policies. As part of the review process the Commission collaborated and consulted with relevant stakeholders, including: • Experts, to formalize the Commission’s position on the protection of the right of pregnant teenagers to education • Government agencies and departments, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Welfare and provincial Offices of Education, to build a consensus on the need to guarantee right of pregnant teenagers to education • Committee for Women of the National Assembly and the National Education, Science and Technology Committee, to hold an open discussion on the issue. Based on its findings, the Commission recommended in 2010 that the Ministers of Education, Gender Equality and Family, and Health and Welfare, as well as the School Superintendents of the provincial Offices of Education, work together to develop policies that protect the right of pregnant teenagers to education. 4.5. NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTION PLANS The World Conference on Human Rights recommends that each State consider the desirability of drawing up a national action plan identifying steps whereby that State would improve the promotion and protection of human rights.81 NHRIs should support efforts to the right of women to de jure and de facto or substantive equality with men, recognizing this may require special measures and differential treatment. These efforts can include integration of the human rights of women and girls and gender equality in Human Rights National Action Plans and other relevant laws and policies.82 The fundamental purpose of a national human rights action plan is to improve the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. This is done “by placing human rights improvements in the context of public policy, so that governments and communities can endorse human rights improvements as practical goals, devise programmes to ensure the achievement of these goals, engage all relevant sectors of government and society, and allocate sufficient resources”.83 81 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, part II, para. 71. 82 Amman Declaration, para. 3. 83 OHCHR, Handbook on National Human Rights Plans of Action, Professional Training Series No. 10, 2002, p. 9. Chapter 4: Supporting a strong national legal and policy framework | 47