Vietnam elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the second time

The Vietnamese delegation attended the voting session and announced the results of membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. Photo: VNA

The United Nations members participating in the election are divided into 5 geographical regions, of which the Asia-Pacific group is the region with the highest competition for membership of the Human Rights Council this term with 7 countries introducing their candidacy since mid-2020 (1 country withdrew its candidacy at the last minute).

Vietnam was unanimously supported by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the sole ASEAN candidate for this position; and is also the sole Asian candidate of the Francophone Community.

Being elected to the Human Rights Council, the body with the leading role in the United Nations system in protecting and promoting human rights, demonstrates the international community's recognition of Vietnam's policies, efforts and achievements in ensuring better and better human rights in all fields. This is also an important event, a new step forward in the effort to implement the foreign policy of the 13th Party Congress and Directive 25 of the Secretariat on promoting and elevating multilateral diplomacy to 2030.

Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu. Photo: Nguyen Huy/VNA

Responding to the press immediately after the announcement of the results, Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu affirmed that this result not only shows the international community's recognition of Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights but also results from the close direction and direct participation of senior leaders, the efforts of the entire political system, including the role of media agencies and press in protecting and promoting human rights. This is also proof that Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena are constantly being consolidated and enhanced.

Sharing this opinion, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Vietnamese Mission to the United Nations, emphasized the importance of the UN Human Rights Council and the high level of competition among candidate countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific group. However, the support of ministries, branches, and diplomatic staff both at home and abroad, who have made great efforts to overcome many difficulties and challenges, and carried out systematic, proactive, creative, synchronous, and effective advocacy over the past time, has made an important contribution to this result.

With the message “Respect and understanding. Dialogue and cooperation. All human rights – for all”, during its three-year term as a member of the Human Rights Council, Vietnam will directly contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide – one of the three pillars of the United Nations. Vietnam will promote the priorities identified when participating in the Human Rights Council through dialogue and cooperation, especially in protecting vulnerable groups and ensuring human rights in responding to global issues. This not only contributes to addressing common and urgent concerns of humanity but also helps open up opportunities to share and learn good experiences, gain support from the international community, and help the Vietnamese people enjoy human rights and civil rights better and better.

The Vietnamese delegation attended the voting session and announced the results of membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Photo: VNA

The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) under the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was established in 2006 and is the most important mechanism on human rights in the UN system, with an agenda covering 10 topics, on the one hand closely following the common concerns of the international community on human rights, on the other hand also clearly reflecting the priorities and major strategies of countries and groups of countries in this field. The HRC has a system of special affiliated agencies and mechanisms, which receive wide attention and participation, the most comprehensive of which is the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Comprising 47 members with a term of 3 years, the HRC is a forum for dialogue, cooperation and promotion of the balance of all human rights, including the right to development; operating on the basis of objectivity, cooperation and dialogue, in a constructive spirit, without bias, selectivity, politicization and double standards.

Vietnam has always actively and responsibly participated in the activities of the UN Human Rights Council since its establishment. In particular, Vietnam has successfully assumed the role of a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term, contributing to protecting national interests and enhancing the country's position and prestige. Vietnam actively participates in the activities of the Human Rights Council, promoting initiatives that have shown their mark and are highly appreciated by the international community, such as participating in the Core Group at the Human Rights Council on "Climate Change and Human Rights", and directly authoring a number of resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council by consensus on the impact of climate change on vulnerable groups (women, children, etc.). Vietnam also co-authored and co-sponsored dozens of resolutions of the Human Rights Council during this period, focusing on the areas of economic, social and cultural rights, protection of vulnerable groups, gender equality, anti-discrimination, elimination of unilateral sanctions affecting the enjoyment of human rights, farmers' rights, democratization of international life and strengthening international solidarity.

Vietnam has made many contributions, acting as a bridge to promote cooperation and dialogue between countries and groups of countries to promote the balanced, progressive, and human-oriented approach of the UN Human Rights Council on different issues such as reproductive health rights, combating violence against women, eliminating discrimination and violence based on gender identity and sexual orientation, etc.

Vietnam has also promoted dialogue within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council between relevant countries, regional organizations and UN human rights mechanisms to address specific concerns on issues related to human rights and humanitarian issues; associated with coordination with developing countries to fight to ensure that the UN Human Rights Council operates in accordance with principles and procedures, without politicization and without interference in the internal affairs of countries.

The above contents continue to be among the priorities and orientations for Vietnam's participation in the next term, as shown in the Voluntary Commitments when running for office that Vietnam sent to the UN according to the regulations of the General Assembly.