Vietnam has a frank and open dialogue on human rights.

On the afternoon of February 7 (Vietnam time), the meeting of 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 second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). According to the general assessment, Vietnam's National Report clearly demonstrated its seriousness, openness, and active cooperation in the field of human rights.

The Vietnamese delegation met with delegates attending the 18th session of the UPR at the UN Human Rights Council. Photo: VNA

First of all, the adoption of the National Report under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, Cycle 2, of Vietnam in Geneva (Switzerland) has shown the trust and high appreciation of the international community and the UN Human Rights Council for Vietnam in the field of human rights.

That trust is based on the achievements in human rights in Vietnam; based on the acceptance and implementation of the international community's contributions from the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, Cycle I (UN Human Rights Council) made in 2009. That is the serious and active implementation of 96/123 recommendations made by the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism. Among them are the improvement of the legal system, the development and implementation of human rights policies; the promotion of hunger eradication and poverty reduction, sustainable economic development, ensuring social security, ensuring basic freedoms of the people, paying special attention to vulnerable groups...

That is the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, in which the field of human rights has been constitutionalized in a more complete and comprehensive manner, creating the premise for policies and measures to better implement human rights in practice. The addition and promulgation of very important new legal documents such as the Land Law, Trade Union Law, Law on Complaints, Law on Denunciations, Law on Persons with Disabilities, Law on Lawyers, etc. have helped to further perfect the legal framework on human rights in Vietnam.

Regarding the guarantee of basic rights of citizens, economic, cultural and social indicators, hunger eradication and poverty reduction efforts that Vietnam has carried out over the past years have achieved positive results. This shows that economic, cultural and social development goes hand in hand with the care of people's material and spiritual lives, which is increasingly better guaranteed.

This trust has also been demonstrated through the international community's comments so far. It is no coincidence that ASEAN countries have welcomed Vietnam's contributions to the establishment and operation of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, and recommended that Vietnam continue to actively contribute 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. And it is no coincidence that the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights, Ms. Farrida Shaheed, during her visit to Vietnam in December 2013, stated: “I am particularly impressed by the progress in economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction in rural, remote and isolated areas and highly appreciate the achievements that Vietnam has made in ensuring and promoting cultural rights for all people”.

The international community has a serious, frank, dialectical and critical view of the implementation of human rights in Vietnam. However, here and there are still voices that are unsympathetic to the human rights situation in Vietnam. They, for different purposes and motives, seek to criticize Vietnam without taking into account Vietnam's efforts in promoting human rights and people's freedom. This is a deliberate and unfair calculation. Comments and assessments of human rights in Vietnam should have a more objective and realistic view and be placed in the context of each specific country, without imposing and subjective prejudices.

The adoption of the National Report under the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism, Cycle 2, of Vietnam once again demonstrates Vietnam's transparency, spirit of frank, open, sincere and serious dialogue.

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

That is a fact.

According to VOV