Suwon Documents 10-Year Journey as 'Human Rights City' in White Paper

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Suwon City has published a human rights white paper titled 'Walking Between People,' which documents the 10-year journey of Suwon as a Human Rights City.

The white paper comprises three chapters: 'The Path to Suwon as a Human Rights City,' 'A Place Protecting the Human Rights of Suwon Citizens,' and 'Speaking Out for Human Rights.'

It includes the process of promoting 'Human Rights City Suwon,' human rights-related systems in Suwon City, and interviews with officials from human rights committees and human rights education.

In October 2012, the city established the 'Basic Plan for Human Rights City Suwon.' The following year, it newly established a Human Rights Team, enacted human rights ordinances, and organized the 'Suwon City Human Rights Committee,' beginning full-fledged efforts to create a 'Human Rights City.'

The Suwon City Human Rights Committee, which was launched in November 2013, conducted activities including ▲enactment and complete revision of the 'Suwon City Human Rights Basic Ordinance' ▲establishment and evaluation of the Suwon City Human Rights Promotion Basic Plan ▲improvement of Suwon City's human rights system ▲human rights impact assessment of polling stations ▲human rights impact assessment of public buildings, playing a major role in establishing human rights administration in Suwon City.

In March, the 'Fifth Suwon City Human Rights Committee' was launched.

In May 2015, the city opened a 'Human Rights Center' for the first time in Gyeonggi Province, and in January 2019, it established a 'Human Rights Officer' position for the first time among basic local governments nationwide, making continuous efforts to protect citizens' human rights.

The Human Rights Center independently investigates human rights violations that occur in relation to operations in Suwon City and its affiliated organizations, invested or funded organizations, and facilities and organizations receiving city support.

When it determines that a human rights violation has occurred, it recommends institutional improvements to the investigated organization. It has also published the 'Suwon City Human Rights Center Decision Collection' twice, in 2017 and 2020.

The Human Rights Center achieved significant results by recommending institutional improvements regarding restroom use in civil service examinations, which led to policy changes at the central government level.

Additionally, it pioneered the human rights impact assessment system nationwide by systematizing it and introducing it to city administration.

In December 2021, Suwon City's first 'Human Rights Administrative Building,' the Jidong Administrative Welfare Center, opened.

In September 2017, the city established the 'Suwon City Public Building Human Rights Impact Assessment Committee,' comprised of civil servants and experts in human rights and architecture fields, taking the first step toward making public buildings human rights-friendly.

The city decided to construct a new Jidong Administrative Welfare Center as Gyeonggi Province's first 'Human Rights Administrative Building' and conducted thorough human rights impact assessments from the design phase through construction.

The Jidong Administrative Welfare Center building incorporates 'BF' (barrier-free) certification standards and 'Universal Design' based on human rights.

Suwon City printed Voice Eye codes on the human rights white paper. When scanned with a smartphone, Voice Eye codes allow readers to hear the white paper contents in audio format. This reflects consideration for visually impaired persons, elderly individuals, and others who have difficulty accessing printed material information.

The human rights white paper has been distributed to each department of Suwon City, the Human Rights Committee, and other local governments.