Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of MoLISA’s Department of International Cooperation (Source: http://baodansinh.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry ofLabour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) held a conference in Hanoi onNovember 9 to discuss progress in human rights work during 2018 and theimplementation of relevant recommendations in line with the second cycle of theUniversal Periodic Review (UPR).
Nguyen Manh Cuong, head of MoLISA’sDepartment of International Cooperation, said that the ministry hopes to listento opinions, feedback, and proposals from agencies and organisationsspecialising in labour rights and rights of vulnerable groups, towards completinga national report for the third cycle of the UPR in Geneva, Switzerland inJanuary 2019.
The ideas will also help the ministrybetter ensure and promote human rights in the future, he said.
Delegates highlighted Vietnam’s efforts incompleting policies and a legal system to fulfil international commitments inhuman rights.
After 18 years of issuing a directive on humanrights, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat has released Directive No.44-CT/TW on human rights in the newcontext. The Government also issued a decision promptly afterwards on plans toimplement the directive effectively.
Vietnam is on its way to institutionalisingthe 2013 Constitution, in which many human rights are enshrined, while also negotiating,signing, and ratifying a range of new generation free trade agreements withhigh commitments in labour rights.
Together with other regional countries,Vietnam has actively integrated human rights in all pillars of the ASEANCommunity, they noted, adding that Vietnam has also seen practical progress in bilateraldialogue and cooperation in issues related to human rights.
UN members, including Vietnam, are workingto make national reports ahead of the third cycle of the UPR.
Over the past few years, the MoLISA has launched44 out of the 182 recommendations in seven areas, including raising awarenessof human rights; considering and ratifying international conventions regardinghuman rights; implementing international obligations on human rights; andcompleting a legal system on human rights.
So far, Vietnam has implemented all the 182recommendations of the UPR.
The country has showed strong commitments tostrengthening practical dialogue and effective cooperation with all countriesand UN mechanisms on human rights on the basis of equality and respect tointernational law, not interfering with the domestic affairs of other states, andultimately bringing about practical benefits and strengthening people’s enjoymentof human rights.
Vietnam’s top priority is to build a law-governedState and promote judicial reform to reinforce the foundation of institutionsand policies related to human rights observation and promotion. The country hasalso pledged to strengthen sustainable development, ensure rights to education,and enhance education on human rights.
The UPR is an inter-governmental mechanismof the UN Human Rights Council with the aim of reviewing issues related to the humanrights of all UN member countries. Vietnam first implemented the UPR in May2009. –VNA
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