Child receives vaccination at Nghia Dong Medical Station in Quang Ngai city, Quang Ngai province.
Co-organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, the aim of the event was to review the implementation of UPR Cycle II approved by Vietnam.
Speaking at the seminar, Pham Sanh Chau, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that Vietnam, as an active and responsible country within the international community, has always respected and fully implemented all obligations under the UPR, in particular implementing the recommendations of the UPR Cycle II, which Vietnam has adopted with the active participation of all relevant ministries and sectors on the basis of receiving information and valuable comments from concerned organisations and individuals.
According to Chau, the periodic review mechanism has entered its third cycle, which is considered to be the most successful and effective mechanism of the HRC. It contributes to the promotion of human rights in many countries around the world, as it ensures the principles of advancing human rights such as universality, justice, cooperation and intergovernmental dialogue.
The event was intended to inform all individuals and organisations concerned about the results of the application of the recommendations under the UPR Cycle II approved by Vietnam, as well as discussing the action plan and necessary requirements to apply the recommendations under Cycle III, which is scheduled to take place in January 2019.
Praising the coordination between Vietnam and UN agencies responsible in implementing the UN human right mechanism, Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative to Vietnam, said that the execution of UPR should ensure national independence, help to effectively improve reporting and the application of recommendations, and to facilitate the quality of interaction and complementarity of the UPR.
Setting up an effective monitoring system for UPR is important, he said, adding that only clear and well-coordinated mechanisms amongst government agencies could ensure the effective implementation of the approved recommendations. The involvement of social organisations in UPR implementation is essential, contributing to the protection of individual human rights and enabling people to better exercise their rights, said Kamal Malhotra.
Giving information on implementation of the recommendations under the UPR Cycle II approved by Vietnam, Hoang Thi Thanh Nga, deputy director of the MOFA’s Department of International Organisations, said that the review session on UPR Cycle II implemented by Vietnam was held on February 5, 2014 at the UNHRC with 106 countries expressing their appreciation for Vietnam's policies, efforts and achievements in securing human rights since 2009 and issued 227 recommendations. Vietnam accepted 182/227 of the recommendations, those not approved did not conform to the specific circumstances and conditions of Vietnam.
The above 182 approved recommendations are in seven areas: reform of the human rights law system; continuing to strengthen and protect human rights in the fields of economy, society, culture, civil affairs and politics; ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups; education on human rights; continuing to join international standards on human rights; performing international obligations on human rights; and international cooperation on human rights.
Immediately after studying the recommendations that were approved, Vietnam assigned the relevant ministries and agencies to execute them. In the two years from June 2014 to December 31, 2016, 147 recommendations have been implemented and four have been partly deployed out of 182 Vietnam accepted, reaching 80.7%.
Reform of the human right law system shows that, from 2014 to 2016, dozens of important legal documents relating to human rights and citizenship were passed to concretise the provisions of the 2013Constitution, in accordance with international conventions to which Vietnam is a member.
On economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, Vietnam has implemented recommendations for the protection and promotion of human rights in general. Per capita income increased from US$1,900 in 2013 to US$2,215 in 2016. The number of people receiving monthly social allowances and health insurance cards has increased, while 25.05% of communes nationwide have reached modern rural construction standards.
Social welfare has been paid great attention, with timely the implementation of policies to support and solve difficulties for people in areas hit by natural disasters, droughts, saline intrusion and marine environmental incidents, along with accelerating the application of the National Strategy on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation by 2020.
Social organisations and people have become increasingly involved in monitoring and supervising the execution of the laws and policies of the State. People are given access to and use the Internet to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression and there are about 50 million Internet users in Vietnam, accounting for 52% of the population. Religious organisations are increasingly facilitated to operate.
Regarding the rights of vulnerable groups, Vietnam has employed a range of national target programmes with encouraging results, such as the National Action Programme on Gender Equality during 2016-2020; National Action Programme on the Elderly for the 2012-2020 period; National Action Programme for Children during 2012-2020; Specific policies to support the socio-economic development of ethnic minority communities and mountainous areas during 2016-2020; and fully and promptly implementing the regimes and policies promulgated for social protection beneficiaries, especially vulnerable groups.
In Vietnam, public awareness on human rights, especially in younger generations, has been improved. Concerned ministries and agencies have actively implemented human rights propaganda programmes and plans, especially the dissemination and training on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights instruments, as well as on Vietnam's efforts and policies in securing human rights.
On November 28, 2014, the Vietnamese National Assembly ratified the joining of UN Convention against Torture (CAT) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Vietnam officially became a member of seven out of nine key UN conventions on human rights.
The country also actively performs its international human rights obligations and commitments, as well as its membership of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2016-2018 term and the Executive Board of UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for 2015-2019 term. It also actively and responsibly participates in the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).
