Vietnamese and Australian experts and policymakers are gathering at a conference in Hanoi to exchange opinions and experiences in national mechanisms to boost and protect human rights in each country.

The July 30-31event is hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) within the framework of the fourth phase of the Vietnam-Australia human rights technical cooperation programme in the 2012-2013 period.

Speaking at the event, MoFA Deputy Minister Ha Kim Ngoc affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and protecting human rights, adding that the country is completing its legal system on human rights, as well as improving national institutions to protect and boost human rights in line with international standards.

Vietnam is considering the establishment of a national human rights agency as part of an overall plan to continue improving the legal and judicial system and enhancing national institutions to ensure the rights of its people, Ngoc said.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Hugh Borrowman affirmed that his country’s experts will help Vietnam improve the capacity of relevant organisations to implement the rights of people, consolidate human rights in penal and civil litigations, and popularise legal information.

Australia commits to sharing its useful experience with Vietnam, so that it can choose a model that conforms to the Paris Principles and its current socio-political situation.

Over the past years, Vietnam has attached importance to fostering cooperation and learning from international experience in this field. The country has approved the Convention on the Right of People with Disabilities and is completing the final steps to participate in the Convention against Torture.

It is now a member of five international human rights conventions and actively cooperates with other UN human rights mechanisms.

Vietnam always backs the United Nations Human Rights Council and will run for election to the council in the 2014-2016 tenure.-VNA