(VOVworld) - Vietnamese and foreign experts gathered in Hanoi on Friday for an international seminar discussing the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  The event, co-hosted by the Foreign Ministry and the UN Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam, aims to outline the detailed content of the UN Convention against Torture including the obligations of member States and to clarify Vietnam’s laws and practical measures in ensuring human rights.

UN’s Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pratibha Mehta

Minister Assistant and Chief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Vu Hong Nam said Vietnam will engage in the ratification of the UN Convention against Torture this year, thereby becoming a member of 7 out of 9 of the UN Conventions’ on Human Rights. The signing and ratification of the Convention demonstrated Vietnam’s commitment to combating all acts of torture and cruel treatment to ensure basic human rights. It is also a concrete step in the process of Vietnam’s active international integration, affirming that Vietnam is a pro-active and responsible member regarding issues of international concern.

Regarding Vietnam's efforts to participate in the Convention, the UN’s Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pratibha Mehta said the UN Convention against Torture was one of the most important multilateral international treaties on human rights, covering regulations on the elimination of cruelty and inhumane punishment. The UN Resident Coordinator said all UN agencies played a general role in helping Vietnam become one of the next countries to adopt the Convention against Torture.