June 8- According to the NHRCK, the provision of unisex public restrooms for persons with disabilities amounts to discrimination.
In October 2007, a complaint was filed regarding two public restrooms that won the Gyeonggi Province “2007 Beautiful Restroom Contest.” The complainant alleged that providing unisex facilities for persons with disabilities is discriminatory. The NHRCK recommended that Pocheon City create separate male and female restrooms for persons with disabilities.
The NHRCK reasoned that restrooms for persons with disabilities should be consistent with the common social notion that men and women do not use the same public restrooms. For some men and women, being forced to use the same public restroom would cause shame. The NHRCK concluded that there is no reasonable justification for requiring persons with disabilities to use unisex restrooms while others are provided with separate male and female restrooms.
The NHRCK added that unisex restrooms could be appropriate in special circumstances, for example, when persons with disabilities or mental health problems require help in the restroom.
Pocheon City accepted the recommendation of the NHRCK and said that the city will provide separate restrooms by the end of the year.
