(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam's National Report under the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism will be presented at the UN Human Rights Council in May. This will be the forum for Vietnam to demonstrate its consistent policy on ensuring human rights and refute out-of-tune, unfriendly opinions about the human rights situation in Vietnam.
 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet (middle) chairs the press conference to launch Vietnam's National Report under the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. (Photo: VNA) |
The UPR is one of the most important mechanisms of the UNHRC. Its role is to review the human rights situation in all UN member states and foster full enforcement of their human rights obligations based on the principles of dialogue, equal cooperation, objectivity, and transparency.
Vietnam has participated in all UPR cycles since the mechanism was created in 2006 and has followed all recommendations.
UPR – an important mechanism for Vietnam
With a consistent policy of protecting and promoting human rights, Vietnam attaches great importance to the UPR mechanism and always prepares its national reports seriously and follows the recommendations it has accepted in every cycle, said Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet.
"By January, 2024, Vietnam had fulfilled 209 (86.7%) of the 241 recommendations received in the third cycle. From 2019 to November, 2023, Vietnam continued its efforts to build a rule-of-law state by adopting 44 laws, many of them important to human and civil rights. Vietnam has reviewed and amended a number of laws in accordance with its international commitments. Vietnam has reviewed and joined international conventions on human rights and conscientiously implemented the treaties. Vietnam has joined 7 out of 9 fundamental international treaties on human rights and 25 international conventions on labor rights of the International Labor Organization,' said Viet.
Vietnam has cooperated with other countries and clarified all recommendations made by other countries in a constructive spirit. Since the third cycle in May, 2019, despite a number of difficulties and challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflict, and climate change, Vietnam has enhanced economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights in accordance with international standards.
Vietnam’s UPR report made in objective, transparent manner
Since 2019, Vietnam’s GDP per capita has increased 25% and its poverty rate has been reduced 1.5% annually. Health insurance coverage has risen from 81% in 2016 to 92% in 2022. 85% of people with disabilities in difficult circumstances receive social assistance, care, and rehabilitation, As of September, 2023, there were 78 million Internet users (up 21% from 2019) in Vietnam, which now ranks 13th in the world in the number of users. These figures are clear evidence of undeniable progress in ensuring human rights in Vietnam.
The national report on the UPR fourth cycle has been developed publicly and transparently, pointing out the challenges faced by Vietnam and priority directions, such as increasing resources for sustainable and inclusive development, improving the efficiency of public service delivery and efforts to reform administrative procedures, effectively carrying out strategies on green transition and digital transformation, fully meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), expanding the social security system, narrowing the development gap between urban and rural areas, and raising public awareness of human rights issues.
Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet said: "The report was made comprehensively and transparently with contributions from stakeholders, government agencies, professional and social organizations, mass organizations, the public, and international partners. The Foreign Ministry and other ministries and sectors organized 6 workshops to collect opinions for the report. Each workshop drew 30 to 40 representatives of foreign embassies, organizations, and NGOs in Vietnam, who all contributed their opinions to the report. We also received contributions of opinions from organizations and individuals."
The implementation of UPR recommendations and the preparation of national reports are obligations of all United Nations members. In delivering the report and joining the United Nations Human Rights Council, Vietnam demonstrates the exemplary and responsible role of a member of the Human Rights Council in the cause of protecting and promoting human rights.