Vietnam always strives to better ensure the rights of all citizens.

Vietnam will always strive to better ensure the rights of all people and will actively contribute to ensuring human rights globally.

On June 13, 2016, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the 32nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on the occasion of the Human Rights Council's 10th anniversary. Attending the session were representatives of 193 UN members, observers and international organizations.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh speaks at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Photo: VNA

Speaking at the session, the Vice President highly appreciated the role of the Human Rights Council, especially the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, in promoting dialogue and cooperation on human rights.

The Vice President stressed that in the face of current global challenges, the international community needs to increase dialogue and cooperation and avoid confrontation or politicization of human rights issues.

The Vice President asked the Human Rights Council to pay due attention to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the impact of climate change on human rights.

The Vice President also mentioned the drought and saltwater intrusion caused by climate change in the Central, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta provinces of Vietnam; and announced that Vietnam and members of the Core Group will introduce a resolution on climate change and human rights, focusing on the impact of climate change on children's rights.

The Vice President emphasized Vietnam's efforts in ensuring human rights, especially achievements in socio-economic development, implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, universal primary education, reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates, ensuring gender equality and women's advancement.

The Vice President affirmed that Vietnam will make continuous efforts to better ensure the rights of all Vietnamese people, and will actively contribute to ensuring human rights globally.

In November 2013, with a very high number of votes, Vietnam was elected to the Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term. After more than 2 years of participating in the Human Rights Council, Vietnam has promoted its role as an active and responsible member, making substantial contributions to the work of the Human Rights Council, which has been recognized and highly appreciated by the international community.

In the final year of its term at the Human Rights Council, Vietnam hopes to make its mark with a number of specific initiatives, especially in the field of ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities and the impact of climate change on human rights.

On the afternoon of June 13, at the headquarters of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Vice President met with IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong. The IPU Secretary General expressed his pleasure at welcoming the Vice President and the Vietnamese delegation to the IPU headquarters. He reiterated his good impressions of the country and people of Vietnam and highly appreciated the results of the 132nd IPU Assembly and the Hanoi Declaration.

The Vice President affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the role of the IPU and always actively and responsibly participates in IPU activities. The Vice President highly appreciated the contributions of the IPU Secretariat and the IPU Secretary General in implementing IPU activities.

The Vice President hopes that in the coming time, the IPU will focus on contents such as implementing sustainable development goals, responding to climate change and further strengthening the activities of the Conference of Women Parliamentarians.

The Vice President emphasized that female parliamentarians, including female National Assembly deputies of Vietnam, are increasingly demonstrating their role at the National Assembly forum and making many substantial contributions to the country's policy decisions. The Vice President informed about the success of the recent National Assembly election in Vietnam, especially the increase in the proportion of female National Assembly deputies to 26.8%.

The IPU Secretary General welcomed Vietnam's commitment to the activities of the IPU. The IPU Secretary General affirmed that the Secretariat will continue to work with member parliaments to develop a comprehensive agenda that reflects the common concerns of the international community, especially current pressing issues.

The IPU Secretary General also agreed that it is necessary to further promote the activities of female parliamentarians at the IPU. The IPU Secretary General congratulated Vietnam on achieving a high rate of female representatives in the National Assembly, much higher than the world average (22.3%), especially the fact that Vietnam has a female National Assembly Chairwoman and a female Vice President.

The IPU Secretary General acknowledged Vietnam's sharing on the situation in the East Sea and Vietnam's request to support the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of international law. The Deputy Secretary General affirmed that he will urge the IPU to fulfill its mission of contributing to the maintenance of peace and harmonious coexistence among nations./.

According to VOV.VN