Examining COVID-19 Blind Spots!… Songpa-gu Conducts Survey on the Human Rights Conditions of People with Disabilities

Reviewing Human Rights Violations and Other Issues at Vocational Rehabilitation Facilities for Persons with Disabilities Until December

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa District, visited a welfare facility for the disabled on July 8th to conduct an on-site inspection and listen to difficulties.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) will conduct a human rights status survey for people with disabilities, who have become more vulnerable due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), by mid-December.

This survey targets 358 users and workers at 13 vocational rehabilitation facilities for people with disabilities in the region. Residential facilities for people with disabilities surveyed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Seoul City in September are excluded from the target.

The survey team consists of 20 members, working in groups of 3 to 5. To this end, the district newly appointed 14 investigators, including legal professionals and nurses, in January to strengthen professional capabilities.

They will conduct one-on-one in-depth individual interviews with users on-site to check ▲whether there are any human rights violations such as verbal abuse and assault, ▲whether rights such as health, safety, religion, and privacy are guaranteed, and ▲inspect facility environments.

For workers, they plan to listen to difficulties and strive to improve working conditions.

Minor issues found in the survey will be immediately corrected on-site, and if suspected cases of human rights violations are discovered, a detailed investigation will be requested from the Seoul Metropolitan Disability Rights Advocacy Agency.

In particular, if perpetrators and violations are confirmed, strong measures such as criminal charges and administrative sanctions on facilities will be taken to lead the protection of human rights for people with disabilities.

In 2012, the district launched the first-ever human rights status survey team for people with disabilities nationwide and enacted the "Seoul Special City Songpa-gu Ordinance on the Prohibition of Discrimination and Protection of Human Rights for People with Disabilities" on April 9, 2012.

Based on this, a human rights status survey of welfare facilities for people with disabilities in the district is conducted annually. Among the 25 autonomous districts in Seoul, Songpa-gu is the only one conducting this survey every year.

Mayor Park Seong-su of Songpa-gu said, "Concerns are growing about people with disabilities who have been placed in a blind spot of human rights due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "Through a more professional and substantial human rights status survey, we will create a Songpa where everyone can live safely and happily without being marginalized."

Training for the Disability Human Rights Survey Team held at Songpa District Office on June 10th

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