Vietnam engages in frank and open dialogue on human rights.

On the afternoon of February 7th (Vietnam time), the working group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted Vietnam's national report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, cycle 2. Overall, Vietnam's national report clearly demonstrated seriousness, openness, and active cooperation in the field of human rights.

The Vietnamese delegation met with delegates attending the 18th session on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council. Photo: VNA

First of all, the adoption of Vietnam's National Report under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, cycle 2, in Geneva (Switzerland), demonstrates the trust and high regard of the international community and the UN Human Rights Council for Vietnam in the field of human rights.

This confidence is based on Vietnam's achievements in human rights; on the adoption and implementation of international community feedback and recommendations from the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism (UN Human Rights Council) in 2009. This includes the serious and proactive implementation of 96 out of 123 recommendations from the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism. These include further improving the legal system, developing and implementing human rights policies; promoting poverty reduction, sustainable economic development, ensuring social security, guaranteeing fundamental freedoms for citizens, and paying particular attention to vulnerable groups…

This includes the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, in which the field of human rights is more fully and comprehensively enshrined, creating a foundation for policies and measures to better implement human rights in practice. The addition and promulgation of important new laws such as the Land Law, the Trade Union Law, the Law on Complaints, the Law on Denunciations, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the Law on Lawyers, etc., have further perfected the legal framework on human rights in Vietnam.

Regarding the guarantee of citizens' basic rights, the economic, cultural, and social indicators, as well as the poverty reduction efforts undertaken in Vietnam over the past years, have yielded positive results. This shows that economic, cultural, and social development, coupled with improved care for the material and spiritual well-being of the people, is increasingly being ensured.

This trust has also been demonstrated through the comments of the international community over the years. It is no coincidence that ASEAN countries have welcomed Vietnam's contributions to the establishment and operation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Committee on Human Rights, and recommended that Vietnam continue to make positive contributions to the implementation of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration.

It is no coincidence that Vietnam was officially elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term on November 13, 2013, with the highest number of votes. Nor is it a coincidence that the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, Ms. Farrida Sha-heed, during her visit to Vietnam in December 2013, stated: “I am particularly impressed by the progress in economic development and poverty reduction in rural and remote areas, and I highly appreciate the achievements Vietnam has made in ensuring and promoting cultural rights for all its people.”

The international community has a serious, frank, dialectical, and highly critical view of Vietnam's human rights record. However, there are still some voices expressing ill will regarding the human rights situation in Vietnam. For various purposes and motives, they seek to criticize Vietnam without considering Vietnam's efforts to promote human rights and freedoms. This is a deliberate and unfair calculation. Assessments of human rights in Vietnam should be more objective, realistic, and considered within the specific context of each country, rather than imposing subjective biases and prejudices.

The adoption of Vietnam's National Report under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, cycle 2, once again demonstrates Vietnam's transparency, frank and open dialogue, sincerity, and seriousness.

Ms. Pratibha Mehta, Resident Coordinator of the UN Development Programme in Vietnam, stated: “I am very pleased that the Vietnamese government is using the Universal Periodic Review mechanism established by the UN Human Rights Council in its original sense. That is, using a mechanism for dialogue among all stakeholders in society to discuss human rights issues and challenges.”

That's a fact.

According to VOV