The First Disability Discrimination Rectification Subcommittee Meeting
-following the Effectuation of the DDA-
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK; Chair: Ahn Kyong-hwan) held the first Disability Discrimination Rectification Subcommittee meeting of this year in the Plenary Committee Meeting Room (13th floor of the NHRCK building) on Friday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m.
Article 40 of the Anti-Discrimination Against and Remedies for Persons with Disabilities Act, or simply the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), sets forth that a subcommittee dedicated to investigation and remedies regarding discriminatory acts shall be in place at the NHRCK, and matters related to the subcommittee's organization, role and responsibilities, and management shall be stipulated as part of the NHRCK's regulations. As per this clause, the Commission held the 7th plenary meeting on April 14, 2008 and decided to amend the NHRCK by-laws to establish a regulatory framework for the establishment of a disability discrimination remedy subcommittee. The Commission designated Standing Commissioner Choi, Kyong-Suk as the head of the new subcommittee and appointed standing commissioners Yoo, Nam-Young and Moon, Kyung Ran as members.
That the head and members of the new subcommittee are all NHRCK standing commissioners, who are at the deputy minister level, testifies to the Commission's commitment to preventing and remedying damage by disability discrimination in this first year of the DDA.
At the meeting, the subcommittee deliberated on 22 agenda items--three reports and 19 items calling for resolution--including discrimination in the use of school facilities (A high school in Seoul had refused to provide a special class for students with disabilities.).
