The document of the most recent 13th National Party Congressunderlined the need to maximise the human factor, taking the people as thecore, the subject, and the major resource and target of development; andbuilding Vietnamese people with comprehensive development, strong connectionsand harmony between traditional and modern values.
With that across-the-board goal, the candidacy for theUnited Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2023-2025 term has demonstrated thecountry’s consistent policy of protecting and promoting basic human rights and itsdesire to make more positive and practical contributions to the operations of thisagency.
Putting the people in the centre of development has been a strategic orientation and a thorough action philosophy of Vietnam (Photo: tuyengiao.vn) On November 12, 2013 (US time), with 184 "yes" votes out of the total of 192, Vietnam becamea member of the council with the highest votes among the 14 new members. During theterm, Vietnam was always a serious, responsible, responsive, active and constructivemember of the agency, joining hundreds of discussions and the building andnegotiations of UNHCR’s resolutions and decisions, contributing to ensuring thecommon values regarding human rights.
Along with seriously implementing the Universal Periodic Review(UPR) mechanism, Vietnam has drastically realised recommendations that thecountry accepted.
Vietnam always upholds the principle of dialogue and cooperation, avoiding confrontation and the politicisation of human rights issues (Photo: VNA) The country made substantial contributions to the encouragement of dialogue andcooperation, strengthening the efficiency, transparency and balance in thecouncil’s operations, helping build the common values of the humankind.
Many initiatives raised by Vietnam have been lauded by the internationalcommunity, and various resolutions compiled by Vietnam adopted bythe council.
Vietnam co-authored and co-sponsored dozens of UNHCR resolutions in the period,focusing on ensuring economic, social, cultural rights, protecting vulnerable groups,promoting gender equality, preventing discrimination, removing unilateralembargoes affecting the enjoyment of human rights, the rights of farmers, thedemocratisation of international life, and strengthening internationalsolidarity.
At the same time, Vietnam also acted as a bridge for countries and groups ofcountries to strengthen dialogue and cooperation, aiming to promote the council’sbalanced, progressive and people-centred approach to issues with differences suchas reproductive health rights, the ending of violence against women, theelimination of gender-based discrimination and violence.
At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announces Vietnam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emission by 2050 (Photo: VNA) After its first working term at the UNHCR with manyachievements, Vietnam has continued to exert efforts to promote human rights.Recently, the country announced the voluntary midterm report on theimplementation UPR third cycle recommendations, providing a panorama of its commitments and efforts in maintaining socio-economic stability andensuring human rights, especially among the vulnerable groups amid the tough COVID-19period.
As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in the 2020-2021 tenure,at the UN General Assembly’s session on December 7, 2020, with theco-sponsorship of 112 UN members, Vietnam for the first time proposed andhastened the approval of a resolution to take December 27 as the InternationalDay of Epidemic Preparedness, contributing to the joint efforts of the world in enhancing awareness of the need to be prepared to respond to epidemics.
As the ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam also performed the role of the ASEANIntergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) leader, while leading theformation of ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, building the operating regulationsfor the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public HealthEmergencies (RRMS) and forming the ASEAN Framework Strategy on Public Health Emergencies,ensuring the rights and heath for over 650 million people in the region.
At the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021,Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced Vietnam’s commitment to achieving net-zeroemission by 2050, which is a historical milestone in the country’s policy torespond to climate change, making Vietnam one of the leading countries inemission cut commitments.
Also acting as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2020-2021 tenure, Vietnamalways worked to promote the spirit of humanity, compassion towards the people,strengthening humanitarian actions, protecting civilians during and afterconflicts.
At the 51st session of the UNHCR that took place fromSeptember 12 to October 7, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, PermanentRepresentative of Vietnam to the UN, the World Trade Organisation and otherinternational organisations in Geneva, highlighted Vietnam's priorities andcommitments in its candidacy to the UNHRC for the 2023-2025 term, reaffirmingthe Party and State’s consistent guidelines and policies of putting people atthe centre of the development and ensuring that they can share in the fruits ofthis process.
Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai highlights Vietnam's priorities and commitments in its candidacy to the UNHRC for the 2023-2025 term (Photo: VNA) Vietnam participated in several joint speeches with othercountries in the ASEAN, theNon-Aligned Movement (NAM), the International Organisation of La Francophonieand the of Like-Minded Group (LMG) to discuss commonly-prioritised human rightsissues, and took an active part in the consultation and development of draftresolutions of the 51st session.
Vietnam co-sponsored two annual resolutions on the right todevelop and enhance technical cooperation, and build capacity in the field ofhuman rights, thus contributing to promoting the priorities and interests ofdeveloping countries at the UNHRC.
Vietnam's active engagement in the council’s activities over the past years;the fact that it is one of the three key countries presiding over theintroduction of the UNHRC's annual resolution on human rights and climatechange; and its candidacy to the council for the 2023-2025 tenure demonstratethe country's people-centered policy with strong commitments and efforts topromote and protect human rights, especially in the year marking the 45thanniversary of Vietnam’s UN membership (September 20, 1977 – 2022).
Vietnam’s candidacy at the UNHCR for the second time is the continuation of theParty and State’s external policies, affirming that Vietnam is an active andpositive member of the international community and the country’s efforts tomake further contributions after the successful office tenure at the UNSC inthe 2020-2021 term. This serves as a great chance for Vietnam to spread the messageand thorough policy of taking the people as the core and motivation ofdevelopment./.
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