The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation in Korea are jointly organizing a workshop on "Human Rights and Refugee Protection – Comparative Views" this November 5 within the premises of the Commission, near City Hall.
The main speaker scheduled for the workshop is Mr. Rodger Haines, QC, Deputy Chairperson of the New Zealand Refugee Status Appeals Authority, lecturer in immigration and refugee law at the Faculty of Law, Auckland University, and a founding member of the International Association of Refugee Law Judges (IARLJ). A very experienced lawyer and decision maker in refugee status determination in New Zealand, Mr. Haines will share with us his views on how human rights can better complement refugee protection and will illustrate them with examples from his home country as well as abroad. Participants will be provided with opportunities to ask questions, to comment on his statements and to link his observations with the Korean refugee and human rights system.
This workshop aims to provide participants with comparative views on the interaction between human rights and refugee protection.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001, offering investigation and remedy services for Korean citizens and foreigners residing in Korea against human rights violations and discrimination. The Commission provides policy recommendations and remedial action against human rights infringements, collaborates with international human rights organizations and implements educational programs to improve the human rights culture.
Present in Korea since 2001, the Office of UNHCR in Seoul became a fully fledged representation in January 2006. The office works with Korean authorities and the civil society to strengthen their capacities to better welcome and protect asylum-seekers and refugees in Korea, according to the international standards. The office also works at raising the Korean public awareness about refugee problems worldwide and seeks its contribution in assisting refugees in less developed countries.
