Statement by the NHRCK Chairperson on the 45th National Day for Persons with Disabilities
Continuous Efforts is Required to Ensure the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
□ Seventeen years have passed since the enactment of the Act on the Prohibition of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities and the Protection of Their Rights, which brought about a paradigm shift in thinking about disability as a human rights issue. Since its enactment, the view of persons with disabilities as objects of pity and charity has gradually changed to one of social participation and rights protection.
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□ Among the discrimination complaints filed with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, 42.6%* are related to disability. Furthermore, with changes in our society, discrimination complaints are expanding to new areas such as digital accessibility.
* Based on the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report (2023), status of discrimination complaints filed by reason
□ Discrimination against persons with disabilities still occurs on a daily basis. The proportion of persons with disabilities who have completed high school or higher education is lower than that of the general population, and persons with disabilities experience social discrimination due to their disabilities in employment, resulting in low employment rates and low economic participation rates.
* Based on the Survey on the Status of Persons with Disabilities (2023), the proportion of persons with disabilities who have completed high school or higher education is 48. 4% (79.2% of the total population with a high school education or higher), 28.3% experienced social discrimination due to disability during employment, 37.21% employment rate for persons with disabilities (63.3% of the total population), and 38.83% economic activity participation rate for persons with disabilities (64.7% of the total population).
□ In addition to discrimination against persons with disabilities in daily life, cases threatening the human rights of persons with disabilities, such as abuse in residential facilities for persons with disabilities and deaths in mental healthcare institutions, are constantly being reported.
□ Therefore, in order to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities, we must establish policies that encompass disabilities in various areas, such as education, employment, income, right to vote, and freedom of movement. Through these efforts, everyone must strive to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are guaranteed in their daily lives, just like those without disabilities. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea will strengthen its ongoing efforts to ensure a humane life for persons with disabilities by monitoring their human rights, providing remedies for violations, and seeking institutional improvements.
18 April 2025
An Chang-ho,
Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of Korea
