Facilitating people’s more proactive and efficient participation in the policy-making and policy-execution processes forms part of the Government’s strong commitment to promoting human rights to the international community, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc has said.

Deputy FM Ngoc presented the country’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report, the second cycle, at the 18 th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on February 5.

Talking with the press on the issue, Ngoc confirmed that since the first cycle in May 2009 Vietnam made the most striking point in the completion of its legal system, policies and institutions relating to the protection and promotion of human rights.

The country has well realised the UN Millennium Development Goals pertaining to poverty reduction, job generation, social welfare, and educational and healthcare services along with ensuring the betterment of fundamental rights, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and speeding up international cooperation in the fields.

These have indicated the country’s efforts in implementing 96 recommendations it accepted in 2009 during the first cycle of UPR, he said.

The diplomat quoted the Bosnia-Hezergovina and some other delegations present at the second cycle as saying that Vietnam’s UPR report is an honest declaration of the country’s commitments to respecting human rights.

At the second cycle, he said Vietnam received a total of 227 recommendations covering all aspects regarding human rights promotion and protection, with most being positive and constructive.

The country will carefully review the recommendations and officially inform those it would accept at the 26 th session of the UN Human Right Council in June, he added.

In his view, to better ensure human rights as well as fulfill its international responsibilities in the issue, Vietnam needs to continue its efforts and implement the commitments she made when running for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council.

Now as a member of the Council, Vietnam will participate in the organisation’s operation in a proactive, positive and responsible manner, helping make its operations more effective, transparent and objective and promoting dialogues and cooperation within its framework, Ngoc said.

He confirmed that Vietnam is willing to share experience with and learn from other countries and contribute to important issues of global concerns, especially those on economic and social rights of developing countries, he stressed.

The country is also ready to work with other countries and international partners to dig deep into new issues and initiatives of mutual concern, the diplomat added.

According to the diplomat, continuing to review, revise and supplement legal documents and policies relating to human rights in compliance with the 2013 Constitution is one of the top priorities Vietnam needs to focus on in the coming time.

The country will also keep mobilising all resources for national programmes and strategic programmes on ensuring social security, especially those benefiting vulnerable people, strengthening administrative reforms and anti-corruption fight, broadening the practice of grassroots democracy, reinforcing the rule of law and being determined to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals, he said.

The Deputy FM reiterated that Vietnam pursues a consistent policy of promoting and protecting human rights along with enthusiastically participating in international cooperation to uphold human rights globally.-VNA