The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) sincerely welcomes the passage of the Disablity Discrimination Act by the National Assembly on March 6, together with disabled people and their families as well as all members of those groups advocating disabled persons’ human rights. The Commission regards the passage of the Act as a major turning point for the protection and promotion of human rights of the disabled and also hopes that enforcement of the Act ensures effective protection of the rights of the disabled and the human rights of entire vulnerable social groups.
The Commission believes that enforcement of the Act paves the way for expanding the scope of discrimination from direct discrimination to indirect discrimination and refusal to provide reasonable accommodation. The Act applies a wider concept of discrimination to various facets of daily life and provides a number of means of recourse for victims. Its enactment represents a great step forward toward providing appropriate relief to disabled people who face discrimination.
The Commission deems it very meaningful that disabled people themselves played a central role in enacting this act. The Commission hereby expresses its deep gratitude to disabled persons, their family members, and human rights groups for having pressed so hard for so long for the passage of the Act.
The Commission hopes that enforcement of the Act will proactively rectify discrimination against disabled people in Korean society, deter any further discrimination against them, and achieve a societal mindset change to attain the ultimate goal of creating an equal society. On the occasion of the passage of the Disablity Discrimination Act, the Commission promises to more aggressively uphold the human rights of the disabled.
March 7, 2007
Kyong-Whan Ahn
NHRCK Chairperson
