International Forum on Independent Living

Workshop 5：The problems concerning the initiative activities for protecting human rights by the people with disabilities

Mr. Jeong-Ok Kim, DPI Japan

1. Summary of DPI-Human Rights Protect Center
   1. DPI-Human Rights Protect Center (Center) is established by DPI (Disabled Persons International) in Japan, and engaging in solving the problems concerning the protecting human rights of all kind of disabled and their families mainly by counseling. People with disabilities manage the operation of the Center initiatory from the in-taker at the counter to the representative of the Center.
      
      
   2. Since the establishment of Disabled Person's Fundamental Law in 1993, the range of impairment has been extended, and by the spread of the idea of normalization, the human dignity such as the right of self-determination is considered as a social issue at length. It will be surmised that the discriminations and the infringements on human rights occur more frequently and become one of the serious social problems in future. About the troubles, complaints and unfair dealings with the disabled people and their families, the counselor with disabilities tries to make a problem clear from the side of disabled persons by the counsel and to solve the problems with the disabled concerned by making the best use of their experience to practical solution of the problems with the disabled themselves.
   
   
2. From the experience of individual counsel
   
   1. There are a lot of complaints that are not related directly to a legal problem, discrimination and infringement on human rights, but related to troubles which cannot decide what to do and cause damage as the result but with no intention from the other.
      
      
   2. By the dealing with complaint, we are asked to have an intent attitude on making clear the background and the cause of the complaint, and judging or not the complaint as the infringement on human rights because of the disability even if it is not an intentional discrimination and prejudice.
      
      
   3. It is necessary to make a program for the human rights education and training for being able to assert their opinion without hesitation when the disabled person and his family concerned which are on the unfair dealing and unsatisfied situation talk with the other concerned party actually.
      
      
   4. If we deal with the complaints only by telephone without any definite care service, it is clear that we can not improve the situation and play a role for effective protection of human rights.
      
      
   5. We must make an opportunity to meet or call the disabled person concerned as many as possible, and arrange the facts in the contents of counsel. To make the point of the unfair treatment and infringement of human rights, we must talk with the other party in some cases. Even in these cases it is important to show the attitude that we attempt to make a solution, so as to the disabled person concerned can give consent.
      
      
   6. Through the experiences of various support activities for the needs and thoughts of the disabled concerned, we come to think the need of initiative activities to protect human rights by the disabled that are based on the common experiences among people with disabilities is increasing socially.

Title : International Forum on Independent Living
Publisher : Japan Council on Independent Living Centers
Date : 1998/10/20
Question & Comment to
International Forum on Independent Living
Japan Council on Independent Living Centers
Shimamula building 102 Tachikawa-shi nishiki-cho 1-3-13 TOKYO JAPAN
TEL : 042-529-1169 FAX : 042-525-4757
E-mail : asv69068@pcvan.or.jp / jil@d1.dion.ne.jp
Web site : http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~jil/

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