During thefive-week 54th session, the HRC obtained numerous positive results,including adopting 37 resolutions and holding five panel discussions on unilateral coercive measures and human rights, the integration ofa gender perspective throughout the work of the HRC, the rights of indigenous peoples, youth and human rights, and cyberbullying against children.
It also held discussionson 87 thematic reports, discussions and dialogues with 37 Special Procedures ofthe HRC and UN human rights mechanisms, along with discussions and dialogues onthe human rights situations in some countries. The HRC completed procedures forapproving the fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reports of 14 countries,elected seven members to the HRC Advisory Committee for 2023 - 2026, andappointed 12 personnel for the HRC’s Special Procedures.
The Vietnamese delegation, led by Ambassador LeThi Tuyet Mai, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN, the World TradeOrganisation (WTO) and other international organisations in Geneva, chaired thedrafting of and presented the joint speech on promoting the human right to vaccination.It also coordinated with Brazil and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation(GAVI) to chair an international seminar on the promotion of the human right tovaccination.
Vietnam, which is an HRCmember in the 2023 - 2025 tenure, also joined India in co-sponsoring and organisingan international discussion on the 75th anniversary of the UniversalDeclaration on Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The event followedVietnam’s initiative proposed last February on an HRC resolution on commemoratingthe two declarations.
In addition, the delegation also actively raisedopinions at many discussions on different issues such as promoting andprotecting the economic, social and cultural rights amid the settlement ofinequalities during post-COVID-19 recovery, the right to development, youth andhuman rights, and cyberbullying against children.
In its remarks,the delegation highlighted Vietnam’s policy on promoting and protecting humanrights for all, and introduced the measures the country has taken to supportpost-pandemic recovery, ensure social security for people, and ease thefinancial burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for vulnerable groups.
It alsounderlined the need to promote initiatives and actions at the national,regional, and international levels to resolve adverse impacts of such globalchallenges as climate change, which are threatening the enjoyment of humanrights of people worldwide, especially vulnerable groups, as well as the realisationof the sustainable development goals.
Vietnamaffirmed the necessity for settling political divisions and differences, andstepping up cooperation and trust building, including via the HRC’s activitiesto ensure people around the world can fully enjoy human rights.
Together withother ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation also delivered some jointspeeches on the issues of the bloc’s concern such as technical cooperation andcapacity building, and the integration of gender equality into the work of theHRC and UPR.
During the 54th session, Vietnamactively met and talked to other countries’ delegations, joined in the draftingof documents, and co-sponsored many initiatives in the spirit of dialogue andcooperation, thereby reflecting its consistent viewpoint, policy, andachievements in human rights promotion and protection and helping ensure theHRC’s activities are in line with the fundamental principles of internationallaw./.