The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), hand in hand with the British Embassy in Seoul, Yeungnam University, and Chonnam National University, held international seminars on December 6 and 7, 2007 concerning the advancement of human rights in local communities in a multicultural era. The seminars were held in Yeongnam and Honam, with invited guest speakers Professor Michael Keith and Ms. Leonie McCarthy.
Korean society is quickly becoming more multicultural, with over 1 million migrants registered to date. Many of these migrants have come to Korea as migrant workers or for marriage. Municipalities, local civil servants in education and human rights experts and activists must all commit to developing social cohesion and ensuring universal human rights. These seminars were hosted to cater to these goals, specifically targeting the racial and cultural perspectives of appropriate authorities and individuals that will have future opportunities to affect policies.
The invited guest speakers, Professor Michael Keith and Ms. Leonie McCarthy, are both Commissioners of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion of the United Kingdom, which was launched by recommendation from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of the UK in 2006. The Commission of the UK provides policy advice to the UK government and conducts case studies on the integration of residents from diverse backgrounds in local communities to achieve social cohesion.
Professor Michael Keith is a commissioner of the Commission of the UK, professor at London University, and director of the Center for Urban and Community Research (CUCR). Keith explained UK policy principles for social integration, gave a sociological analysis of multicultural societies, and presented social integration policy cases of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, of which he was once a council leader.
Ms. Leonie McCarthy spoke about Peterborough’s New Link New Arrivals Partnership, which provides services for the integration of refugees and migrant workers to facilitate their social integration in cooperation with the UK Red Cross. She also emphasized the importance of multicultural education in order to decrease occurrences of discrimination and human rights violations, providing actual cases.
The Korean panel members included Dr. Jeong Il-seon (Yeongnam area; Gyeongbuk Women's Development Institute) and Mr. Lee Ji-hun (Honam area; Human Rights United for Migrant Women). Each panelist analyzed the regional characteristics of the Yeongnam and Honam areas from a multicultural perspective and presented a range of suggestions for the formulation of multicultural policy that are positive and suitable to the local community concerned.
The seminars marked a major step toward a consensus on social integration and the human rights of migrants, and finding effective solutions to realize each goal.
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.
