(VOVworld) - The Party and State of Vietnam have always considered ethnic minority policies a significant strategic issue and have adopted a number of policies to ensure human rights for ethnic people. VOV editor Thu Hoa comments.

Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups, of which the Kinh group constitutes the majority of the population. Vietnam’s ethnic minority groups often reside in remote and disadvantaged areas with lower socio-economic development. The Party and State have maintained a consistent policy of solidarity, equality, and respect between ethnic groups. Many national target programs have been launched to support ethnic minority groups, such as program 134 to support housing and farm land, program 135 to support socio-economic development in remote areas and Resolution 30a on poverty reduction in 62 poor districts nationwide. H’Black belongs to the Bana ethnic group in Dac lak province: "The Party and State have paid special attention to ethnic minority people in general and to Dac Lak in particular. The province has seen great changes thanks to Party and State programs for electricity, roads, schools, and clinics. The local residents are learning how to apply technology advances to agricultural production".

Now, 100 percent of the communes in remote, mountainous areas have medical clinics and primary schools. Ethnic minority languages are taught at more than 7,000 schools. The State has built boarding schools for thousands of ethnic people who have enjoyed free education and meals. Electricity and postal services are now available in all districts. Radio programs reach more than 90 percent of the country and are broadcast in many ethnic minority languages. Mr. Dang Dung Chi, Deputy Head of the Human Rights Research Institute of the Ho Chi Minh National Politics Academy told VOV: "In Vietnam, human rights are protected in all fields including politics, socio-economy and culture. The State has constantly improved its apparatus to implement laws on this issue. It has also launched many national target programs to ensure that human rights are protected for every Vietnamese, including the most vulnerable".

Ensuring ethnic minority’s rights, especially development rights is Vietnam’s top priority as shown in the country’s laws, policies, poverty reduction achievements, education, healthcare, employment, and the preservation of ethnic culture and language. Many international human rights experts have spoken highly of the Vietnamese Government on this issue. Ugo Caruso, a European human rights expert, has said he feels optimistic about the Vietnamese government’s implementation of human rights policies.

However, Vietnam needs to take further steps to assure rights for ethnic minority people. According to Le Quang Binh, Head of the Environment and Socio-economic Research Institute, an overall plan should be taken into consideration: "We should continue distributing land and forests for ethnic minority people to develop their livelihood. Discrimination against ethnic minorities should be eliminated. More attention should be paid to education and training for ethnic minority people, with education programs designed specifically for them".