21.3% of Gyeonggi Residents Say They Have Experienced Human Rights Violations

Gyeonggi Provincial Government Gwanggyo New Office Building

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] It has been revealed that 2 out of 10 residents of Gyeonggi-do have experienced human rights violations. The number one place where human rights violations are most likely to occur was identified as the workplace.

Gyeonggi-do commissioned the Korea Gallup Research Institute to conduct the "Gyeonggi-do Residents' Human Rights Awareness and Policy Demand Survey" from November 18 to 25 last year, targeting 800 residents aged 19 and older. Regarding experiences of human rights violations, 21.3% responded that they had experienced such violations. The rate was 3.8 percentage points higher for women at 23.2% compared to 19.4% for men. In particular, the experience rate of human rights violations among women in their 20s was relatively high at 32.2%. Additionally, those in functional labor and service jobs (26.3%) were found to have relatively more experience of human rights violations.

The place most commonly thought to be where human rights violations occur was the "workplace," at 45.6%. This was followed by public service institutions (such as the police) at 16.3%, social welfare facilities at 12.7%, homes at 6.4%, and educational institutions at 5.5%. Among respondents who answered that they had actually experienced human rights violations, about half (48.8%) identified the "workplace" as the location.

Furthermore, the urgent human rights policies that Gyeonggi-do residents consider necessary for practical human rights promotion and protection were counseling and rights remedies for human rights violations (32%), human rights education (26.1%), and campaigns to spread a culture of human rights respect (24.6%), in that order.

Reflecting the results of this survey, the province plans to strengthen ▲ counseling and rights remedies for human rights violations through the Provincial Human Rights Center ▲ diversify the Gyeonggi-do Human Rights Academy by opening human rights courses tailored to residents' perspectives ▲ and expand cooperation with cities and counties to promote a culture of human rights respect.

A provincial official promised, "In 2023, we will promote related policies so that a culture of mutual respect for human rights can be established in the daily lives and workplaces of residents."