The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) visited the “House of Wishes” in Kyonam as part of its visiting program of spots vulnerable to human rights on June 30, 2006. The House of Wishes in Kyonam is a protection facility for those who suffer mental disorders, retardation and physical disabilities. The House was designated as one of the most excellent protection facilities in the nongovernmental sector by NHRCK in 2005 and established and operating its own “Human Rights Protection Committee.” The House of Wishes, at which 72 disabled persons are now living, is also operating day protection facilities for the disabled staying at home in the adjacent area, and provides accommodation and workshops such as Group Homes providing community life living together with the staffs of the House and Open Workshop providing labor opportunities.
About 10 NHRCK staffs, including Young-hoang Cho, the Chairperson of the NHRCK, Young-ae Choi, Standing Commissioner, and Nohyun Kwak, Secretary General of the Secretariat had a meeting with staffs of the House of Wishes and looked around the facilities, Group Homes, workshops and medical rehabilitation center. In particular at the meeting with the staff of the House of Wishes, a lot of opinions were presented and discussed regarding improved operation of the House of Wishes, such as the establishment of a counseling desk dedicated to consultation for the characteristics and problems of the disabled, running education programs for facility managers, and change of terminology in connection with the protection facility. It was pointed out that the current expressions like “forced accommodation in the protection facility”, “forced accommodation” should be changed to other terms reflecting the concept of “protection” and “protection facility” to “residential facility for living.” Also there was an opinion that national support plans should be prepared to solve the problems of the gender, marriage and childcare of the mentally handicapped while a recommendation was put forward to NHRCK to promote public relations and education for human rights for the disabled so that they can be better-informed of the complaint procedures.
