December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities designated by the UN. It is even more significant this year to celebrate the day for persons with disabilities as this year marks 10th anniversary of adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the UN.
The UN designated Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We want as a slogan for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In addition, it has set evaluation of CRPD and SDGs and establishment of a foundation for better future for persons with disabilities as a goal of the year.
The international community continues to make efforts to promote human rights of persons with disabilities as can be seen from the 168 countries that have ratified the CRPD as of November, 2016.
Korea, in line with the international trend, is also making efforts to strengthen institutional foundation to guarantee participation of and social inclusion for persons with disabilities and to enhance quality of life including enactment of diverse legislations such as Anti-disabilities Discrimination Act which prohibits human rights infringements and discriminations against persons with disabilities.
However, we still witness diverse cases of human rights infringements and discriminations against persons with disabilities. This year, there were a series of human rights infringements cases where people with intellectual disabilities were forced to work or abused.
In a bid to create world where everyone enjoys equal rights regardless of disabilities, every member of the Korean society should change the perception on persons with disabilities and make daily efforts to protect their human rights.
The Commission will continue to make its best efforts to create a society where people with disabilities fully and equally enjoy fundamental rights and freedom.
