The business sector's cooperation is essential for the success of globalefforts on human rights, said Nguyen Trong Dam, Deputy Minister ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
Dam spoke at a seminar onthe relationship between human rights and businesses hosted in Hanoi onNovember 18 during the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
The three-dayevent was attended by 120 representatives of governments, researchinstitutes, social organisations and enterprises from 53 ASEM membercountries.
Statistics from the International Labour Organisation(ILO) and the World Bank showed that the recent global financial crisisand economic depression cost the jobs of about 205 million people andcaused approximately 64 million people to fall into poverty.
"Inthat context, it is urgent that we promote international, regional andnational efforts with the cooperation of the business sector to createmore jobs, as well as guarantee the interests of the workers,particularly vulnerable ones like women and ethnic minorities," Damsaid.
Zhang Yan, Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Foundation(ASEF), a non-profit organisation established by the ASEM membercountries said that this informal seminar "could not come in a moreappropriate time."
Vietnam, a member of the Human Rights Councilof the UN and the Administration Council of the ILO, has paidconsiderable efforts recently in improving and guaranteeing workers'rights.
"The amended Constitution last year clearly regulatesthat the workers have the right to select their occupation and to workin a fair and safe workplace," said Dang Dung Chi, head of the Institutefor Human Rights Studies. "It also prohibits discrimination againstworkers and child labour."
Another event, held by the Institutesfor Human Rights Studies, the Institute for Workers and Trade Unions,and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the ASEM, focused oncollective bargaining between workers and employers.
The informalseminar on human rights is an annual part of the ASEM. It aims to helpgovernment representatives and experts across Asia and Europe shareexperiences and promote human rights. This is the first time Vietnam hashosted the seminar.-VNA