Annual Report 2014 In the area of promoting the human rights of the elderly, the Commission, on November 21, recommended that the Minister of Health and Welfare reform relevant legislations, such as the Welfare of the Aged Act and the Act on Long-term Care Insurance for the Aged, in order to protect the human rights and the right to receive appropriate services of senior citizens in health and welfare facilities for the elderly. In addition, in consideration of the fact that a large number of senior citizens live alone and the number of elders who commit suicide or die alone due to a rapidly deteriorating quality of life increases, the NHRCK submitted its recommendation to the Minister of Health and Welfare to improve applicable laws and institutions for protecting the human rights of senior citizens living alone on December 4. Again in 2014, the sixth batch of the Monitoring Group on the Rights of the Elderly was formed, so that seniors can actively take part in the promotion of their human rights. Regarding the promotion of the human rights of children, youth, and care facility residents, the NHRCK conducted on-site investigations of five selected child nursing facilities in Seoul City and Gyeonggi Province and subsequently presented its recommendations for institutional improvement on November 25. It also expressed its opinion on the Enforcement Decree bill of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc., of Crimes of Child Abuse, asking the Ministry of Justice to integrate proper procedures to hear the child victim’s opinion on June 19. Moreover, the Commission presented its consult opinion to the Ministry of Health and Welfare regarding the draft guideline on ensuring safety and human rights in child welfare facilities on December 11, suggesting that it is desirable to include the installation of the NHRCK complaints box into the self-checklist of child welfare facilities and to encourage the residing children’s participation in the operating committee of the facilities. The Commission continued to promote the human rights of residents in care facilities 10 ▪▪▪ Part I. Introduction