Various efforts by a range of member states continue to be made in order to seek a permanent and durable peace on the Korean Peninsula. While efforts for the peaceful resolution of the conflict on the Korean peninsula continue, there have been no substantial changes in the serious human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. As denuclearization has been at the forefront of the negotiations, human rights issues have so far not been part of this process, and the voices of the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including women, have been absent. OHCHR has consistently emphasized the centrality of human rights in the peace process and the need for upholding human rights as a conflict prevention and peacebuilding tool. It has advocated for providing a platform for the participation of the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and for the integration of human rights into diplomatic efforts. In this respect, the Office has proposed the inclusion of human rights benchmarks to measure progress and build trust as a means of supporting political processes.
Laying the Human Rights Foundation for Peace in the DPRK