National Human Rights Commission of Korea
Recommends a revision of the Healthy Families Basic Act
NHRC considered that definitions of family and household in the Healthy Families Basic Act, which applies only to families formed out of marriage, blood ties, and adoptions, can result in discrimination or a sense of discrimination in society where the number of diverse types of families is on the rise. Thus, NHRC recommended the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to (1) alter the definitions of family and household to recognize various types of families, to revise the regulations accordingly, and (2) to change the name of the act, which reinforces the concept of 「unhealthy families」, into a more neutral name like other basic acts.
NHRC concluded that the Healthy Families Basic Act (1) unconsciously affects the general public’s concept of family and household reinforcing prejudice or discriminatory attitudes against families which were not formed as a result of marriage, blood ties and adoption. Also, the Act (2) was designed to provide family welfare services to all families. So, it would be desirable for the act to not be limited to families created only by marriage, blood ties, and adoption. Finally (3) the title of the Act can provoke opposite conceptions of 「unhealthy families」, which creates prejudice or discrimination against different family structures.
Therefore, to prevent social prejudice or discrimination against diverse family or household types not formed by marriage, blood ties and adoptions and to ensure the provision of family welfare services, NHRC recommended a revision of the act. –End-
