Vietnam was elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC ), the 2014-2016 tenure, on November 12 with 184 approval votes outof 193, the highest among 14 countries elected to the 47-member councilthis time.
On this occasion, and to markInternational Day for Human Rights (December 10), Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is a member of the PartyCentral Committee, wrote a news article on the country’s achievements inprotecting and promoting human rights, as well as on its contributionsto international cooperation in this field.
TheDeputy PM and FM affirmed that Vietnam’s bid to join the Human RightsCouncil has its roots in the consistent policy of the Party and State onprotecting and promoting human rights and actively participating ininternational cooperation in this field.
Vietnam’selection to the UN HRC with such a high vote is of great significance.First of all, it is the international community’s recognition of theachievements the country has made in its comprehensive reform, policiesand efforts regarding human rights. It is also a success of theVietnamese Party and State’s external relations policy, reflecting thecountry’s increasing prestige and position in the international arena,and the international community’s appreciation of Vietnam’s role andcontribution to the UN and other multilateral forums.
Deputy PM and FM Minh stressed that human rights have become a globalissue attracting the great concern of the international community, andas the Party has affirmed, human rights are also a common aspiration ofmankind and the fruit of human kind’s struggle through many generations.
The UNHCR is one of the most important UNagencies, bearing the responsibility of protecting and promoting humanrights in the world. The council’s member countries must meet thehighest standards on human rights, be ready to cooperate fully and becapable of contributing to the council’s work.
According to Minh, during its election campaign, Vietnam introduced toother countries its consistent viewpoint and policy, the legal system aswell as the most outstanding achievements regarding human rights, whilesharing information and experience in fields of shared interests.
Vietnam has made it clear that its policy has its origin in theaspiration for basic rights to freedom of the Vietnamese people, whoused to be citizens of a colonial country.
One factin Vietnam’s history is that human rights were included in the forewordof the Declaration of Independence that President Ho Chi Minh read tothe country’s people and the world on September 2, 1945. Only one daylater, on Sept. 3, 1945, President Ho stressed that one of the mosturgent tasks of the new Vietnamese State was to organise a generalelection to elect a national assembly to devise and put in place aConstitution to affirm the ownership of the country. Even in the harshconditions of the resistance war, the Vietnamese State made greatefforts to ensure the rights and interests of the people.
The nation’s people have always been placed at the centre and beenboth the objective and the driving force in the development process andthe cause of comprehensive reform in Vietnam. The people’s basic rightsand freedom are institutionalised in the Constitution and laws, andtheir enforcement is ensured by many policies and mechanisms. Therespect for and promotion of human rights have been affirmed in thefirst chapters of the revised 1992 Constitution, which was publicisedfor people’s feedback during the revision process.
Human rights relating to civil and political matters are demonstratedclearly in the country’s bustling political-social life. The NationalAssembly’s role and voice have been increasingly enhanced. The NA haspromulgated and amended many laws, laying firm legal foundations forensuring human rights in all fields, strengthening its role ininspecting and monitoring the operation of State agencies, especiallythrough open question and answer sessions. The people’s rights are alsoenforced more effectively through judicial and administrative reforms.The people are assured that their opinions on the nation’s issues areheard by many important laws on the press, complaints and denunciations,and democracy at the grassroots level; socio-political organisationsand the mass media enjoy rapid and diverse growth.
In Vietnam, 54 ethnic groups have maintained solidarity and mutualsupport throughout the nation’s history of national construction anddefence. Every attempt at racial discrimination and separation isstrictly banned. The life of ethnic minority groups, both spiritual andmaterial, has seen continuous improvement. The country also boasts adiverse religious life with the presence of all major religions in theworld. Besides a majority of people who practice Buddhism and the localHoa Hao Buddhism and Caodaism, there is a large community of Catholics -one of the greatest in Asia. Vietnam also has the second largest numberof Protestants in Southeast Asia.
Economic, socialand cultural rights, particularly those on ownership, the freedom toengage in production and business, social welfare, creativity andenjoyment of culture, gender equality, education and healthcare as wellas the rights of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly andpeople with disabilities have been better ensured, helping Vietnamattain important socio-economic achievements recognised by theinternational community. These achievements also create more resourcesand conditions to better exercise civil and political rights.
The global community highly valued Vietnam as a spotlight in UNHCR’sagenda involving poverty reduction, food security, improvement in thehuman development index and fulfilment of millennium development goalsahead of schedule.
For the overseas Vietnamese (OV)community - an inseparable part of the nation, the State pays specialattention to offering them support, ensuring that their legitimateinterests in the host country are met via practical activities fromdirect assistance to negotiations for consular and judicial agreements.
Multiple policies and mechanisms have been put inplace, alongside smoother procedures for visa applications, even visaexemptions, and civil, investment and home purchase regulations so thatthe OV community find it easier to return to the country, do businessesand integrate into the home society, contributing their efforts for thenation’s progress. Each year, hundreds of thousands of OV abroad findtheir way back to visit or live in the homeland.
About exchanges with global partners, Vietnam straightforwardly touchesupon existing challenges and stands ready to talk about differences. TheDeclaration set at the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights,while saying that human rights hold universal values, noted the need toconsider characteristics in each nation and region with differenthistorical, cultural and religious settings. Each country must build andenforce laws to defend national security, social safety and order, andthe legitimate rights of organisations and individuals. Articles 18, 19,20, 21 and 22 of the International Covenants on civil and politicalrights make clear the rights to religious freedom, expression of opinionwithout interference, peaceful assembly and freedom of association withothers must go hand in hand with special obligations andresponsibilities in accordance with the law, including the guarantee ofrights and prestige of other individuals, safeguarding of nationalsecurity, order and public ethics; ban on propaganda for war or advocacyof national, racial and religious hatred.
TheVietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy is also clearly reflectedin international partnerships in human rights protection and promotion.Vietnam is now a member of almost all the most significant globaltreaties on human rights, including the Covenants on civil and politicalrights, Conventions on economic, socio-cultural rights, children’srights, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination againstwomen. On November 7, 2013, Vietnam signed the International Conventionon Anti-Torture and is working hard to fulfil regulations on proceduresto adopt the International Convention on Rights of Persons withDisabilities in 2014.
Vietnam has also joined 18treaties of the International Labour Organisation on the rights oflabourers. The State of Vietnam has made efforts to build and supplementdomestic laws, abide by global treaties reached in the past, includingthe obligation to make periodic national reports. The Convention bodieshave so far concurred that Vietnam is serious about making nationalreports, saying that the country has made progress in followingtreaties.
Seven years since the UNHCR wasestablished, Vietnam - as an observer - has actively contributedfeedback and ideas on many issues on the body’s agenda and done its partfor resolution design and the decision-making process.
Particularly, Vietnam made thorough preparations and successfullypresented the report within the framework of the Universal PeriodicReview mechanism, while seriously conforming to recommendations inprevious presentations. In 2010, it welcomed four special UN rapporteursor independent experts in poverty reduction, ethnic minority community,healthcare and the impacts of foreign debts. Between November 18 and29, the Vietnamese Government greeted the special rapporteur on culturalrights and will welcome others from different fields in the comingtime. At the UN General Assembly and the Socio-Economic Council, Vietnammade positive contributions and strongly voted for almost UNResolutions on human rights. Vietnam’s viewpoints also match the generalviewpoint expressed in international documents and UN documents onhuman rights.
Within the region, together with ASEANmember countries, Vietnam has made positive contributions to theestablishment of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on HumanRights, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of theRights of Women and Children and the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.
The country also strengthens bilateral cooperation anddialogue with other countries on human rights to share information andexperience to better ensure human rights in the country and relatednations.
According to the Deputy PM and FM,Vietnam’s winning the election to a post in the UN Human Rights Council(UNHRC) with the highest votes manifested the international community’swelcome to the country’s ability to contribute to promoting the issue ofhuman rights.
He further said that the country willtake part in the council’s activities in a serious, positive andconstructive manner.
Vietnam will also continuecontributing ideas to important topics, individually and jointly proposeand negotiate the council’s resolutions and decisions, and pay specialattention to issues that concern developing countries, including rightsfor development, economics, society and culture and the fight againstclimate change.
The country will strengthencooperation with the council’s regimes and procedures and be willing towork with other members of the council and international partners to putforth initiatives to promote new issues for the common benefit.
As a member of the UNHRC, Vietnam will have more opportunities tointroduce its comprehensive renewal, external policies of the Party andState, its efforts and achievements in all fields regarding theprotection and promotion of human rights while combating false opinions,said the official.
The country will also have morechances to contribute more deeply and fully to important internationalissues, expand cooperation with other foreign partners and learn fromtheir experiences, Minh added.
Vietnam’sexperience during the doi moi (renewal) process, human rights protectionand promotion and its position as a member of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the non-Aligned Movement, theFrancophonie and other regional and international organisations willcontribute to the council’s operation.
Comprehensively strengthening the renewal process, successfullyimplementing the target of a wealthy people, a strong nation and ademocratic, equitable and civilised society, and the State and Party’sconsistent policies of protecting and promoting human rights continue tobe the orientations for the country in completing laws andinstitutions, better ensuring people’s civil, political, economic,social and cultural rights.
Following the soundexternal relations policy put forth at the 11 th Party Congress, whichsays Vietnam is willing to be a reliable friend and responsible partnerin the international arena, actively and positively integrating into theglobal community, the country will spare no efforts to make morecontributions to the common tasks and well perform its role as a memberof the UNHRC.-VNA
On this occasion, and to markInternational Day for Human Rights (December 10), Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is a member of the PartyCentral Committee, wrote a news article on the country’s achievements inprotecting and promoting human rights, as well as on its contributionsto international cooperation in this field.
TheDeputy PM and FM affirmed that Vietnam’s bid to join the Human RightsCouncil has its roots in the consistent policy of the Party and State onprotecting and promoting human rights and actively participating ininternational cooperation in this field.
Vietnam’selection to the UN HRC with such a high vote is of great significance.First of all, it is the international community’s recognition of theachievements the country has made in its comprehensive reform, policiesand efforts regarding human rights. It is also a success of theVietnamese Party and State’s external relations policy, reflecting thecountry’s increasing prestige and position in the international arena,and the international community’s appreciation of Vietnam’s role andcontribution to the UN and other multilateral forums.
Deputy PM and FM Minh stressed that human rights have become a globalissue attracting the great concern of the international community, andas the Party has affirmed, human rights are also a common aspiration ofmankind and the fruit of human kind’s struggle through many generations.
The UNHCR is one of the most important UNagencies, bearing the responsibility of protecting and promoting humanrights in the world. The council’s member countries must meet thehighest standards on human rights, be ready to cooperate fully and becapable of contributing to the council’s work.
According to Minh, during its election campaign, Vietnam introduced toother countries its consistent viewpoint and policy, the legal system aswell as the most outstanding achievements regarding human rights, whilesharing information and experience in fields of shared interests.
Vietnam has made it clear that its policy has its origin in theaspiration for basic rights to freedom of the Vietnamese people, whoused to be citizens of a colonial country.
One factin Vietnam’s history is that human rights were included in the forewordof the Declaration of Independence that President Ho Chi Minh read tothe country’s people and the world on September 2, 1945. Only one daylater, on Sept. 3, 1945, President Ho stressed that one of the mosturgent tasks of the new Vietnamese State was to organise a generalelection to elect a national assembly to devise and put in place aConstitution to affirm the ownership of the country. Even in the harshconditions of the resistance war, the Vietnamese State made greatefforts to ensure the rights and interests of the people.
The nation’s people have always been placed at the centre and beenboth the objective and the driving force in the development process andthe cause of comprehensive reform in Vietnam. The people’s basic rightsand freedom are institutionalised in the Constitution and laws, andtheir enforcement is ensured by many policies and mechanisms. Therespect for and promotion of human rights have been affirmed in thefirst chapters of the revised 1992 Constitution, which was publicisedfor people’s feedback during the revision process.
Human rights relating to civil and political matters are demonstratedclearly in the country’s bustling political-social life. The NationalAssembly’s role and voice have been increasingly enhanced. The NA haspromulgated and amended many laws, laying firm legal foundations forensuring human rights in all fields, strengthening its role ininspecting and monitoring the operation of State agencies, especiallythrough open question and answer sessions. The people’s rights are alsoenforced more effectively through judicial and administrative reforms.The people are assured that their opinions on the nation’s issues areheard by many important laws on the press, complaints and denunciations,and democracy at the grassroots level; socio-political organisationsand the mass media enjoy rapid and diverse growth.
In Vietnam, 54 ethnic groups have maintained solidarity and mutualsupport throughout the nation’s history of national construction anddefence. Every attempt at racial discrimination and separation isstrictly banned. The life of ethnic minority groups, both spiritual andmaterial, has seen continuous improvement. The country also boasts adiverse religious life with the presence of all major religions in theworld. Besides a majority of people who practice Buddhism and the localHoa Hao Buddhism and Caodaism, there is a large community of Catholics -one of the greatest in Asia. Vietnam also has the second largest numberof Protestants in Southeast Asia.
Economic, socialand cultural rights, particularly those on ownership, the freedom toengage in production and business, social welfare, creativity andenjoyment of culture, gender equality, education and healthcare as wellas the rights of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly andpeople with disabilities have been better ensured, helping Vietnamattain important socio-economic achievements recognised by theinternational community. These achievements also create more resourcesand conditions to better exercise civil and political rights.
The global community highly valued Vietnam as a spotlight in UNHCR’sagenda involving poverty reduction, food security, improvement in thehuman development index and fulfilment of millennium development goalsahead of schedule.
For the overseas Vietnamese (OV)community - an inseparable part of the nation, the State pays specialattention to offering them support, ensuring that their legitimateinterests in the host country are met via practical activities fromdirect assistance to negotiations for consular and judicial agreements.
Multiple policies and mechanisms have been put inplace, alongside smoother procedures for visa applications, even visaexemptions, and civil, investment and home purchase regulations so thatthe OV community find it easier to return to the country, do businessesand integrate into the home society, contributing their efforts for thenation’s progress. Each year, hundreds of thousands of OV abroad findtheir way back to visit or live in the homeland.
About exchanges with global partners, Vietnam straightforwardly touchesupon existing challenges and stands ready to talk about differences. TheDeclaration set at the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights,while saying that human rights hold universal values, noted the need toconsider characteristics in each nation and region with differenthistorical, cultural and religious settings. Each country must build andenforce laws to defend national security, social safety and order, andthe legitimate rights of organisations and individuals. Articles 18, 19,20, 21 and 22 of the International Covenants on civil and politicalrights make clear the rights to religious freedom, expression of opinionwithout interference, peaceful assembly and freedom of association withothers must go hand in hand with special obligations andresponsibilities in accordance with the law, including the guarantee ofrights and prestige of other individuals, safeguarding of nationalsecurity, order and public ethics; ban on propaganda for war or advocacyof national, racial and religious hatred.
TheVietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy is also clearly reflectedin international partnerships in human rights protection and promotion.Vietnam is now a member of almost all the most significant globaltreaties on human rights, including the Covenants on civil and politicalrights, Conventions on economic, socio-cultural rights, children’srights, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination againstwomen. On November 7, 2013, Vietnam signed the International Conventionon Anti-Torture and is working hard to fulfil regulations on proceduresto adopt the International Convention on Rights of Persons withDisabilities in 2014.
Vietnam has also joined 18treaties of the International Labour Organisation on the rights oflabourers. The State of Vietnam has made efforts to build and supplementdomestic laws, abide by global treaties reached in the past, includingthe obligation to make periodic national reports. The Convention bodieshave so far concurred that Vietnam is serious about making nationalreports, saying that the country has made progress in followingtreaties.
Seven years since the UNHCR wasestablished, Vietnam - as an observer - has actively contributedfeedback and ideas on many issues on the body’s agenda and done its partfor resolution design and the decision-making process.
Particularly, Vietnam made thorough preparations and successfullypresented the report within the framework of the Universal PeriodicReview mechanism, while seriously conforming to recommendations inprevious presentations. In 2010, it welcomed four special UN rapporteursor independent experts in poverty reduction, ethnic minority community,healthcare and the impacts of foreign debts. Between November 18 and29, the Vietnamese Government greeted the special rapporteur on culturalrights and will welcome others from different fields in the comingtime. At the UN General Assembly and the Socio-Economic Council, Vietnammade positive contributions and strongly voted for almost UNResolutions on human rights. Vietnam’s viewpoints also match the generalviewpoint expressed in international documents and UN documents onhuman rights.
Within the region, together with ASEANmember countries, Vietnam has made positive contributions to theestablishment of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on HumanRights, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of theRights of Women and Children and the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.
The country also strengthens bilateral cooperation anddialogue with other countries on human rights to share information andexperience to better ensure human rights in the country and relatednations.
According to the Deputy PM and FM,Vietnam’s winning the election to a post in the UN Human Rights Council(UNHRC) with the highest votes manifested the international community’swelcome to the country’s ability to contribute to promoting the issue ofhuman rights.
He further said that the country willtake part in the council’s activities in a serious, positive andconstructive manner.
Vietnam will also continuecontributing ideas to important topics, individually and jointly proposeand negotiate the council’s resolutions and decisions, and pay specialattention to issues that concern developing countries, including rightsfor development, economics, society and culture and the fight againstclimate change.
The country will strengthencooperation with the council’s regimes and procedures and be willing towork with other members of the council and international partners to putforth initiatives to promote new issues for the common benefit.
As a member of the UNHRC, Vietnam will have more opportunities tointroduce its comprehensive renewal, external policies of the Party andState, its efforts and achievements in all fields regarding theprotection and promotion of human rights while combating false opinions,said the official.
The country will also have morechances to contribute more deeply and fully to important internationalissues, expand cooperation with other foreign partners and learn fromtheir experiences, Minh added.
Vietnam’sexperience during the doi moi (renewal) process, human rights protectionand promotion and its position as a member of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the non-Aligned Movement, theFrancophonie and other regional and international organisations willcontribute to the council’s operation.
Comprehensively strengthening the renewal process, successfullyimplementing the target of a wealthy people, a strong nation and ademocratic, equitable and civilised society, and the State and Party’sconsistent policies of protecting and promoting human rights continue tobe the orientations for the country in completing laws andinstitutions, better ensuring people’s civil, political, economic,social and cultural rights.
Following the soundexternal relations policy put forth at the 11 th Party Congress, whichsays Vietnam is willing to be a reliable friend and responsible partnerin the international arena, actively and positively integrating into theglobal community, the country will spare no efforts to make morecontributions to the common tasks and well perform its role as a memberof the UNHRC.-VNA
