Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung addresses the third-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on  January 22, 2019 (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Minister Trung said the report was prepared with contributions from the Party and state agencies, domestic and international non-governmental organizations, researchers, and individuals.

Responsibility for protecting human rights

The report said that as of October 2018 Vietnam had fulfilled 175 of the 182 recommendations the country accepted in the previous review cycle. The remaining seven recommendations are being implemented or considered for implementation at an appropriate time.  Vietnam’s most prominent achievements were the adoption of the 2013 Constitution and the amendment or issuance of legal documents guaranteeing human and citizen rights.  Vietnam has sustained an annual economic growth rate of more than 6% for many years and sharply reduced its poverty rate to 5.2% in 2016 and its multi-dimensional poverty rate to 7.7% in 2017. The right to education has been promoted by universalizing preschool and primary education. Gender equality has improved with women now accounting for 27% of deputies in the National Assembly and People’s Councils. 95% of Vietnam’s population embraces a religion or belief and thousands of religious festivals are held annually. Vietnam is among the countries with the highest growth rate of internet users, of which Vietnam now has 50 million.

Contributing to universal values

Vietnam has actively participated in human rights-related forums of the UN. Its initiative on protecting the rights the women, children, people with disabilities, and climate change victims has received international acclaim. In 2016 and 2018, two Vietnam-drafted resolutions on the effects of climate change impacts on the rights of children and women were approved by the UN Human Rights Council. Vietnam has implemented seven of the nine core international human rights treaties and commitments to the Universal Periodic Review.

Vietnam will fine-tune its law-governed state and strengthen a facilitating government for the people by reforming administrative procedures, combating corruption, and promoting democracy. Vietnam pledges to achieve more sustainable development goals, reduce poverty, narrow the wealth gap, and focus on vulnerable groups.