Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City to Conduct Special Inspection of Human Rights Management in Daytime Facilities for Persons with Disabilities

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will conduct a special inspection of the human rights management status of 68 daytime facilities for persons with disabilities across the city from March 16 to April 30.

This inspection is being carried out in response to recent cases of user abuse in welfare facilities for persons with disabilities, with the aim of examining the overall status of human rights protection in facility operations and strengthening the abuse prevention and management system.

In particular, this marks the first time that a comprehensive inspection focused specifically on the human rights management system for users will be conducted separately from existing supervisory inspections. The initiative is expected to further enhance transparency in facility operations and elevate the level of protection for users’ rights and interests.

The special inspection will be conducted in parallel through an online confidential survey targeting more than 1,000 individuals—including users, guardians, facility operation committee members, staff, and social service personnel—as well as unannounced on-site inspections carried out by district and county governments.

Key inspection items include: whether each facility operates a management system for protecting users’ human rights and preventing abuse; whether human rights and abuse prevention training is provided for staff and users; whether grievance-handling procedures for users and guardians are in operation; the installation and management status of CCTV in major areas such as program rooms and corridors; and whether a monitoring system involving guardian participation in facility operations has been established.

In particular, Busan Metropolitan City plans to form a guardian-participation monitoring group utilizing facility operation committees. Through this initiative, the city aims to expand guardians’ participation in the facility operation process and enhance transparency in facility management.

In addition, if any suspected signs of abuse are detected during the survey or on-site inspections, Busan Metropolitan City and the relevant district or county will immediately initiate a secondary joint investigation. Depending on the case, a detailed investigation and strict follow-up measures will be carried out in cooperation with the organization responsible for protecting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities.

Based on the results of this inspection, Busan Metropolitan City plans to derive practical measures to improve facility operations and significantly strengthen the management system by establishing a guardian-participation monitoring framework alongside regular human rights inspections.

Through these efforts, the city expects not only to prevent abuse in facilities for persons with disabilities in advance and firmly establish a system for protecting users’ human rights, but also to secure operational transparency and further enhance the capacity for early detection and response to suspected abuse cases.

Jeong Tae-gi, Director General of the Social Welfare Bureau at Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “Daytime facilities for persons with disabilities are spaces directly connected to the daily lives of persons with disabilities, and therefore the dignity and rights of users must be protected as the highest priority.” He added, “Through this special inspection, we will thoroughly examine the overall status of human rights protection in facility operations and work to create a welfare environment where persons with disabilities can use services with confidence.”