Vietnam working hard to promote human rights

ABO/NDO – The Vietnamese Government has rolled out various guidelines and policies towards people and human rights protection, heard an international workshop in Hanoi on October 22.

The international consultation workshop on the draft voluntary mid-term report on the implementation of UPR third cycle recommendations was jointly held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In his opening remarks, Do Viet Hung, Assistant to the Foreign Minister, said this is the first time Vietnam has devised such voluntary mid-term report to be sent to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

A view of the workshop (Photo: VNA).

Through the report, Vietnam has demonstrated its responsibility, transparency and seriousness towards the UPR mechanism in particular and the implementation of international commitments on human rights in general, especially in the context of Vietnam running for a seat at the UNHRC for 2023-2025.
He pointed out difficulties to human rights protection and promotion in Vientam over the past two years such as climate change, natural disasters and COVID-19.

The report is expected to give delegates insight into Vietnam’s consistent commitments and efforts to further stabilise, recover and spur socio-economic activities, and realise UPR recommendations on human rights, particularly vulnerable groups amid COVID-19.

This mid-term report is a basis for Vietnam to assess the implementation of the approved recommendations, learn lessons and prepare for the construction of the National Report for the UPR cycle IV expected in 2024.

UN Acting Resident Coordinator Kidong Park and UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Vietnam Terence D. Jones lauded Vietnam’s commitments and efforts in human rights protection and promotion, including the implementation of UPR third cycle recommendations and the building of the voluntary the mid-term report.

The delegates contributed specific opinions on the document, which is set to be sent to the 49th session of the UNHRC in March 2022.

According to the draft mid-term report on the implementation of the recommendations accepted at the 3rd UPR cycle, Vietnam has accepted 241/291 recommendations (about 83 percent) at the adoption session of the UPR 3rd Cycle Report at the United Nations Human Rights Council (July 2019).

On December 31, 2019, the Prime Minister of Vietnam approved the Master Plan to implement the accepted recommendations in Decision No. 1975/QD-TTg, which directed the development and submission of the Mid-term Report on the implementation of the UPR 3rd cycle recommendations.

To date, Vietnam has implemented 199/241 recommendations; of which 32/241 recommendations are ongoing or have been partially implemented and 10/241 recommendations will be consideredfor implementation at suitable time.

Vietnam will continue to implement the accepted UPR cycle III recommendations on the basis of the Master Plan for Implementation of the Recommendations approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1975/QD-TTg in 2019.

In the coming time, Vietnam wishes and is willing to share information and experiences to strengthen international cooperation, improve capacity in developing the National Report and implementing approved UPR recommendations.

(Source: NDO)