From September 20 ？22, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) carried out on-site human rights counseling in Masan and Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. In addition, the Commission hosted cultural events including film screenings and a poster exhibition on the topic of human rights.
Since 2003, the Commission has consistently offered on-site human rights counseling services for vulnerable social groups and minority groups who have great difficulty visiting the Commission themselves to receive counseling. In particular, the Commission has recently been engaging in more proactive on-site counseling activities by using a counseling bus dedicated to mobile counseling. In an effort to swiftly respond to human rights issues in Gyeongsang Province, the Commission opened a regional office in Busan in October 2005. The office has sought to resolve human rights issues in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province.
Many people participated in the three-day on-site counseling session in South Gyeongsang Province. All of them shared their hardships and sincerely urged the Commission to resolve the difficulties that confront them. On September 22, the Commission conducted counseling regarding discrimination on the grounds of disabilities and gender as well as sexual harassment, attracting many persons who had been isolated in dealing with their problems.
Prepared in collaboration with local civic groups, the latest on-site counseling services session opened a window of opportunity for active cooperation with local human rights organizations. In addition to providing on-site human rights counseling, the Commission screened its human rights film titled If You Were Me and its human rights animation called Unusual Stories (an animated version of If You Were Me). It also put on a poster exhibition aimed at preventing discrimination. Overall, such effort provided a chance to help create a culture of respect for human rights and to conduct human rights education.
