100 Viewpoints on Human Rights!

Transcription

1 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! Engine of Human Rights Policies Human Rights Education/Awareness and Air-bag of Human Rights Policies Human Rights Counseling/Relief

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3 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! A city where all people living, working, gathering, studying and leading active lives in Osaka are respected as individuals and where each and every citizen respects and accepts each other and lives together A city with no discrimination, no unfairness, no exclusiveness toward any social participants and with security and motivation that enable citizens to lead comfortable and active lives Osaka City has the willingness to build a city where human rights are respected like the abovementioned examples. In order to achieve this goal, what kinds of perspectives of respect for human rights will be required? Public Information and Publicity Express Public Hearings Hear/Know Hear opinions, complaints, and suggestions from a wide range of citizens Capture multiple opportunities Understand the actual situation Reflect citizen requests in Administrative measures and policies Administrative Services Support Provide convenient services Be easy to understand Take steps to reach everyone, especially those who most need it Accurately and appropriately Information transparency Human Rights Policy Cooperate Connect Citizen to citizen cooperation Citizen cooperation with the local government Environmental Improvement Provide Provide an environment with facilities for every citizen to participate Administrative Responsibilities Serve Deal with human rights issues and take responsibility

4 What are 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights!? 100 viewpoints on human rights! will clarify the perspective of respect for human rights in the public administration and simply tell municipal employees and citizens what a goal of human rights policies is and what and how to improve. 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! was developed based on the fact that there had been difficulties in making concrete efforts with mere wishes for respect of human rights. Therefore, Osaka City developed 100 Viewpoints of Human Rights! by focusing on specifying and sharing how to respect human rights when municipal employees provide services. 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! shows specific examples from the 6 perspectives of Transmit, Hear/Know, Develop, Support, Cooperate and Serve. All departments/bureaus (including all bureaus/divisions, wards and other offices) will make the most of 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! when they implement measures and policies and operations. 100 Viewpoints on Human Rights! will be revised with comments as needed, and will promote human rights policies to meet updated needs and requirements.

5 1 Express Information must be expressed in an accurate and appropriate manner and made easy to understand. Measures must be taken to assist those who have difficulties obtaining information. Additionally, in order to promote citizen participation in the public administration and to secure understanding and confidence, transparency is essential. (1) Express: Be easy to understand Convert loan words and abbreviations into Japanese, or provide explanations or annotations. Explain technical terms and complex words in plain language, express meaning with illustrations, and annotate all kanji with hiragana, so that preschoolers, the disabled the elderly, or foreign residents can read and understand the content more easily. Write in simple, explanatory sentences. (e.g. Clarify the 5W1H : When, Where, Who, What, Why, and How. Divide long sentences into simpler parts.) Provide large-print examples of forms and other documents at the service counters where they are required. Explain systems and initiatives with simple words or illustrations. Prepare summaries and brief explanatory materials. (2) Express: Take steps to reach everyone, especially those who most need it Employ a wide variety of communication tools; not only visual media but also audio media such as radio, Make use of Braille and SP codes (*1). These media help create an environment in which everyone can acquire information and understand it easily. 1 SP codes A square, three-dimensional printed code in which the page contents are compressed into machine-readable form. SP code 17

6 Change the size and color of visual media, such as posters and leaflets, to be appropriate to the purpose and target audience (considerations for the colorblind). Provide essential information on lifestyle support systems in multiple languages. The City of Osaka will cooperate with local volunteer teams and NPOs, and visit places where local or civil groups work to provide information that is best spread through human networks. The City of Osaka will make every effort to keep the City website accessible to all citizens. Distribute e-newsletters (*2), videos, and the like over the Internet to ensure prompt and accurate information delivery. 2 E-newsletters A periodical, delivered electronically. Also known as e-magazines; these periodicals can be obtained by registering your address with the distributor. Distribute printed materials in places close to the citizens who need pertinent information (e.g. Provide DV (Domestic Violence) (*3) counseling information at places where many women gather.) 3 Domestic Violence Violence inflicted by a person close to the victim, such as a spouse or partner. Includes not only physical violence, but also psychological violence (abuse via cruel words and actions), economic violence (abuse by withholding money), sexual violence (sexual abuse, forced sexual activity and refusal of contraception) and social violence (abuse through close surveillance and restriction of communication with family and friends.) Promote inquiries by FAX in facilities often used by citizens (A fax number will be listed in the telephone directory.). Provide an adequate number of links to websites to assist users in accessing necessary information. 18

7 (3) Express: - Accurately and appropriately Express information accurately to prevent possible misinterpretations and dissemination of inaccurate information. Express information accurately to prevent citizens confusion arising from ambiguity. The City of Osaka will review all texts, illustrations and other materials from multiple points of view to remove any possibility of causing offense (e.g. refrain from using methods of expression that may reinforce stereotypes (of age, gender, and so on), reflect badly on people, or impose a biased sense of values) Do not use metaphors or examples with negative associations (or that leave a bad impression). The City of Osaka will pay attention to methods of expression used in the past and check whether they are appropriate to the present day, by taking into consideration human rights as well as societal changes, trends in law and regulation, and so on, and will not rely on any past precedents. (4) Express: Information transparency The City of Osaka will be proactive in disclosing information to the citizens and take care not to appear reluctant to release information in accordance with a disclosure request. Accountability can be achieved by sharing information with the citizens to promote human rights policies together. The City of Osaka will actively provide as much information as possible to the citizens during the policy-making process. The City of Osaka will keep the user s point of view in mind when distributing public information, e.g. enhancing the contents of the City s website and displaying simple guidance signs for counter services and procedures. Information will be disclosed with due attention paid to the protection of personal data. 19

8 2 Hear/Know In order to appropriately understand the needs of the citizens, it is essential to capture all available opportunities to listen attentively to the opinions provided. In addition, it is important to listen to opinions, complaints, and suggestions from a wide range of citizens in order to reflect these in administrative measures and policies. (1) Hear/Know Hear opinions, complaints, and suggestions from a wide range of citizens The City of Osaka will listen to the people most vulnerable to discrimination or human rights infringements and take care to understand what they need (by actively utilizing networks such as NPOs and local volunteer groups). The City of Osaka will be proactive in taking opportunities to hear from children. The City of Osaka will listen to the opinions of the handicapped and the elderly, rather than hear from them indirectly hear through caregivers. (The opinions of caregivers will be heard directly and separately.). Opinions will be heard from private companies, universities, research institutes, local citizen organizations, volunteer groups, and civil activity groups such as NPOs. Steps will be taken to raise the female participation rate across all panels and committees above 40%. The opinions of foreign residents will be heard and understood through municipal policy monitoring surveys, public comments, and councils. In all types of committees and councils, more members will be selected from the public. Municipal officers will visit places where citizens get together in person to listen to a wide variety of public opinion. 20

9 (2) Hear/Know Capture multiple opportunities To achieve day-to-day accountability, each and every administrative officer will listen seriously to the citizens and respond from his or her standpoint, keeping in mind the basic stance of public intelligence (to realize citizen-oriented policies in a close relationship between the citizens and the city). The City of Osaka will make the most of opportunities, such as events and training courses, to conduct surveys and inquiries about public needs. The City of Osaka will collect public comments at the policy planning stage or create an occasion for citizens to make a statement during the deliberative process. Interactivity will be ensured, e.g. by conducting a survey on the city s homepage. Public opinion surveys will be conducted or opinion boxes will be placed where the citizens will have access to them in order to help the city hear the views of citizens who otherwise hesitate to share their opinion about administrative measures and policies. (3) Hear/Know Understand the actual situation The City of Osaka will keep in mind that different types of surveys can be more easily completed by persons in different situations, such as foreign residents and commuters into Osaka City. An accurate understanding of the current situation of the City of Osaka will be obtained and analyzed through collected data, and, where necessary, countermeasures will be promptly taken. Administrative officers will endeavor to gleam a wide variety of information while providing day-to-day services and thereby address serious issues that can potentially develop into human rights problems in a quick and appropriate manner. The City of Osaka will take steps to understand not only public opinion, but also give 21

10 opportunities to municipal employees in the government administration to share their opinions and ideas. (4) Hear/Know Reflect citizen requests in administrative measures and policies Public needs will be appropriately understood based on citizen opinions and requests and reflected in administrative measures and policies from the planning and implementation stages. This way, the City of Osaka will not need to not rely on precedents and be able to better respond to societal changes. Surveys will be conducted during events and training sessions. The outcomes will be put compiled and utilized at the earliest opportunity. The City of Osaka will take prompt action in reaction to public opinion. When prompt action is not possible, the City will clarify and explain the reason. 22

11 3 Provide In order to create a society in which every citizen can participate, it is essential to provide an environment open to everyone by removing as many obstacles as possible. The City of Osaka must consider the best way to achieve this goal via facilities and operations. (1) Provide Provide an environment with facilities for every citizen to participate A sign-language interpreter or summary scribe will be dispatched to lectures and events when necessary, and spaces for wheelchair users will be provided as needed. Temporary nurseries or nursing rooms will be provided to create child-friendly facilities. The City of Osaka will promote barrier-free access (*4) to public facilities such as ward offices, parks, and any other facilities used by citizens (e.g. paths on which wheelchairs can easily travel, restrooms with wider doors, equipment for wheelchair users and ostomate users (*5) ). 4 Barrier-free Removal of barriers that might interfere with the daily activities of the elderly and the handicapped. Also, the removal of barriers from residences and public places so that the elderly and handicapped can live independently. Barrier-free means the removal of not only physical barriers, such as steps, but also of social, systematic and psychological barriers. 5 Ostomate-ready facilities Restrooms in which ostomates (artificial urinary tracts or bladders) can be washed in warm water with all necessary equipment ready. Universal design (*6) principles will be fully considered in the design of public transportation facilities (e.g. low-floor buses, a slopes, elevators, simple guidance signs with pictograms, long door handles, and so on.). 6 Universal design Universal design means designing for all people. In urban 23

12 development and manufacturing, habitats, facilities, products, etc. should be designed for all ages, genders, and body shapes, be mindful of all people, and keep usability and accessibility in mind from the design stage. Emergency signage will be widely displayed in all venues for public transportation, all municipal facilities, and facilities for public use. The City of Osaka will take care to prevent guidance signage (Braille) from being blocked and paths for the visually impaired from being covered with baggage, which can prevent the visually impaired, the elderly, and wheelchair users from traveling smoothly. (2) Provide Provide an environment in which every citizen can participate fully Administrative officers will be proactive in assisting those in need, such as by directing the person to an appropriate counseling counter and giving directions to places that cannot be easily found. The City of Osaka will provide opportunities to learn how to care for the elderly and the disabled and to experience simulations of their reality. The City of Osaka will provide a platform for information exchange and communication in order to help all citizens participate actively in civil activities (providing various opportunities close-at-hand in which anyone can feel free to participate, promoting the further utilization of internally scattered facilities and municipal schools, arranging conditions under which privately-owned accommodations can be efficiently utilized, etc.). The City of Osaka will develop creative ideas about local events and activities to promote citizen participation and enhance public relations in a close relationship with civil work groups. 24

13 4 Support In order to provide administrative services to citizens, it is essential to improve user friendliness and consider services from the perspective of the citizens. In addition, each administrative officer must be willing cooperate across in different fields in order to accommodate the broad range of services required by each and every citizen. Support Provide convenient services The City of Osaka will ensure the wide deployment of a safety net and verify that high-quality service can be enjoyed by all people who need it. If problems are detected, the City will act to improve the situation. Administrative officers will establish partnerships across the fields of health, medical care, welfare, education, and housing to better accommodate the wide range of services required by each and every citizen. The City of Osaka will endeavor to simplify procedures by promoting one-stop services (*7) and to reduce the time required for procedures, thereby allowing everyone to use administrative services more conveniently. 7 One-stop service Reducing waiting time and travel distances by handling documents and applications internally. Inquiries from citizens will be appropriately addressed and must not be shifted from one section to another. The City of Osaka will form networks with those involved and share information to solve problems. In-depth explanations will be provided to assist those who cannot read or write. The City of Osaka will accurately reflect individual wishes and personalities, and keep 25

14 the citizen perspective in mind. In matters of livelihood support, individual and adaptable solutions will be favored over a uniform approach The City of Osaka will utilize networks with specialized institutions and networks as needed to offer more effective counseling support. 26

15 5 Connect Building a society in which human rights are respected cannot be achieved by the government alone. Citizen participation, involvement in measures and policies, and cooperation are essential. The City and the Citizens must share roles and build an equal and interconnected relationship to complement one another. In addition, it is essential to expand interactive networks and promote communication between the citizens and the City. (1) Connect Citizen-to-citizen cooperation. The City of Osaka will provide indirect support, e.g. introducing civil activities such as citizen counseling services, so that members of the local community can support each other and solve problems. Human rights infringements, child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse will be prevented from occurring by keeping a close watch and discovering them in the early stages. Support and watches will be promoted in local communities. The City of Osaka will offer opportunities to help citizens establish networks and communicate, thereby stimulating civil activity. The City of Osaka will invest effort into a system for local regional philanthropy through which social materials owned by civil workgroups and private companies can be shared, and networks among universities engaged in local philanthropy can be established. The City of Osaka will actively provide information about civil activities to help citizens better understand volunteer work and NPO activities and promote participation. The City of Osaka will support events in which all local people, companies and institutions (including the disabled, the elderly, children, foreign residents, civil work groups, private companies, and schools) can equally participate to solve local issues. 27

16 (2) Connect Citizen cooperation with the local government The City of Osaka will create a system in which the citizens and the government can share roles and build an equal and cooperative relationship in complement to each other. In addition, the City will respect the autonomy, independence, and diversity of civil work groups and promote coproduction by capitalizing on the characteristics of each group. The City of Osaka will employ an open suggestion system through which the city will delegate authority to the citizens, who will in turn suggest innovative ideas to promote coproduction. To effectively promote coproduction, the City of Osaka will endeavor to share information and maintain a dialogue with the citizens, always emphasizing the growing vitality and autonomy of citizen groups. 28

17 6 Serve The City of Osaka, as the administration in charge, must take the lead in social responsibilities. Serve Deal with human rights issues and take responsibility The City of Osaka will not unnecessarily collect personal information (the City will evaluate the necessity of requiring personal details, such as permanent address, sex, and date of birth, on application forms). Personal information that administrative officers may have access to in the performance of their duties will not be used for purposes other than the original intent. Personal information will be appropriately managed (e.g. Administrative officers will log off (*8) their personal computers when leaving their seat, shred documents containing personal information, and so on.). 8 Log off to deactivate a personal computer connection The City of Osaka will ensure that all municipal employees make clear to the citizens that there are circumstances in which their personal information may be used without their consent: when law and regulations allow it and when family members of potential victims of large-scale disasters or accidents request confirmation of their safety. Labor-related legislation will be strictly obeyed. In accordance with the Basic Act for Gender-Equal Society, the Act on Securing, Etc. of Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment (Equal Employment Opportunity Law), the Act on the Welfare of Workers Who Take Care of Children or Other Family Members Including Child Care and Family Care Leave (Child Care and Family Care Leave Act), and similar laws, the City of Osaka will review gender-biased role allocations and build a working environment in which work-life balance (*9) can be achieved. 29

18 9 Work-life balance One of the National Charters, Work-Life Balance defines a society in which work-life balance is achieved as a society in which each and every citizen can derive motivation and satisfaction from their work, and can fulfill their work obligations as well as their family and community life obligations, and can select and actualize diverse ways of life in each life stage, including the raising of children and middle- or advanced age. A society where work-life balance is achieved is: a society in which financial independence can be achieved through employment, a society in which sufficient time can be secured for healthy and rich lives, and a society in which various ways of working and living can be chosen. The employment rate of the disabled will satisfy the provisions of the Handicapped Persons' Employment Promotion Act. The City of Osaka will establish a system to ensure that asking parties and designated supervisors under contracts concluded by the City comply with the Labor Standards Act, Minimum Wage Act, Industrial Safety and Health Act and other laws that specify minimum working conditions, and comply with the employment rate of the disabled as outlined in the Handicapped Persons Employment Promotion Act. 30