(VOVworld)- “The Vietnam National Report provides full and multi-dimensional information in all different areas and highlights Vietnam’s achievements in all aspects in the last 4 years”. This remark was shared by participants at the recent 18th session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group in Geneva. Vietnam’s National Report reflects Vietnam’s seriousness, openness and active cooperation in human rights issues.
The Vietnamese delegation at the 18th session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review- Photo: To Uyen/TTXVN |
The Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group’s approval of the Vietnam National Report shows the world’s trust and high appreciation for Vietnam’s efforts in promoting human rights.
Undeniable human rights achievements
This trust is based on Vietnam’s achievements in promoting human rights and its response to the international community’s contributions of proposals put forth at the first Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2009. Vietnam has seriously and actively implemented 96 out of 123 proposals of the UPR. Vietnam has fine-tuned its legal system, devised and implemented policies on human rights, reduced poverty, promoted sustainable economic growth, ensured social security and people’s fundamental rights and paid special attention to society’s most vulnerable groups.
Vietnam revised its Constitution in 2013 with a focus on consitutionalizing human rights more comprehensively, creating a prerequisite for more practical policies and measures regarding human rights. The supplement and issuance of the Land Law, the Law on Trade Unions, the Law on Complaints and Denunciations, the Law on the Disabled and the Law on Lawyers have contributed to further revising the legal framework on human rights in Vietnam. Vietnam has achieved significant results in ensuring citizens’ fundamental rights and improving indexes on economics, culture, society, and poverty reduction. This shows that its economic, cultural and social development is accompanied by improvements in people’s material and spiritual lives.
The international community has highly praised Vietnam’s achievements over the past years. ASEAN member countries praised Vietnam’s contribution to the establishment and performance of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Committee for Human Rights and to the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration of Human Rights. Vietnam was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term on November 13, 2013. Farida Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur in the field of Culture Rights said during her visit to Vietnam in December last year that she was particularly impressed with Vietnam’s achievements in economic development, and poverty reduction in rural and remote areas and highly appreciated Vietnam’s progress in ensuring and promoting people’s cultural rights.
Frank dialogue
The international community has made a number of different serious, frank and debatable comments about the exercise of human rights in Vietnam. However, there are still biased opinions that criticize Vietnam without taking into consideration its efforts to promote human rights and the freedom of its people. Human rights in Vietnam should be viewed with objectivity and practicality and in the context of Vietnam’s specific conditions rather than imposing subjective views on the subject.
The Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group’s approval of the Vietnam National Report once again shows Vietnam’s transparency, openness, and seriousness about dialogues on human rights.
The UNDP Coordinator in Vietnam Pratibha Mehta praised the Vietnamese government for effectively using the mechanism of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a dialogue mechanism that encourages all people to discuss issues and challenges related to human rights.