Introduction
back to communities, It organized policy discussions on deinstitutionalization of persons with
disabilities in Gwangju and three other cities to seek institutional improvements that would help
persons with disabilities live a life on their own and in their own communities.
In the area of children’s rights, a series of deaths associated with child abuse and other issues
ex officio investigations, the Commission examined the system to prevent child abuse and
with some policy recommendations. It expressed opinion on the need to delete Article 915 from
the Civil Act in order to eradicate child abuse by persons with parental rights. It also made policy
recommendations to help children who are no longer entitled to guardianship to start a successful
life on their own.
In the area of migrants’ rights, the Commission consulted with the relevant ministries, calling
on state and local governments to not exclude migrants and refugees when establishing and
implementing immigration policies. It also promptly recommended local governments not to
exclude foreign residents from emergency relief payment.
Meanwhile, the Commission initiated seven on-site inspections to homeless support service
centers, senior nursing homes, confinement facilities, and mental health promotion facilities, to
prevent human rights abuses. Inspections of these facilities were delayed due to the pandemic
situation, so the Commission made arrangements for meetings with experts and reviews of related
materials and achieved meaningful resultsin 2021.
With a view to establishing a nation-wide human rights safeguard system, the Commission
carried out various activities to strengthen cooperation with local human rights organizations
and civil societies. The Commission helped enhance their expertise on regional human rights
issues by launching and operating the Regional Special Human Rights Committee as a venue
for sustained discussions. The Regional Special Human Rights Committee must be brought up
to speed to strengthen the regional human rights safeguard mechanism and help human rights
offices build their capacity.
Despite challenges posed by the spread of the pandemic, the Commission was actively involved
in exchanges and cooperation with national human rights institutions. Thanks to these efforts, it
was elected as Deputy Chair of the APF and Deputy Chair of the APF Governance Committee,
35
Introduction
manage cases, procedures for prevention, and post-incident protection measures, and came up
Part 1
associated with COVID-19 emerged as urgent problems for the Commission to address. Through