Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said in a meeting with the press in Hanoi on February 18th that Vietnam National Report at the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council was evaluated as a “truthful declaration on respecting human rights”.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc

Reporter: Could you please tell us about the key contents of Vietnam National Report to the second cycle of the UPR, Mr. Deputy Minister?

- Our report gave a comprehensive look at Vietnam’s outstanding achievements in protecting and promoting human rights in Vietnam over the last four and a half years, since the first cycle in May 2009. The report also clearly pointed out Vietnam’s efforts on realizing 96 recommendations that we accepted in 2009. The achieved results can be easily seen in all walks of life in our country.

 most remarkable point is that Vietnam finalized its legal documents, mechanisms and policies relating to promoting and protecting human rights. We have well implemented the Millennium Development Goals, including poverty reduction, hunger eradication, job generation, social security and improving quality of education and health care. Besides, we have also made better moves in ensuring basic freedom rights, especially for vulnerable groups. At the same time, we have actively promoted international cooperation in human rights, such as becoming a member of the UNHRC, joining many international conventions on human rights, receiving special procedures of the Human Rights Council to Vietnam, organizing annual human rights dialogues with many partners, and contributing to the ASEAN human rights mechanism.

Apart from our achievements, the report also touched on challenges and difficulties that Vietnam has overcome, and defined the country’s priorities in promoting and protecting human rights.

The Bosnia-Hezergovina delegation’s comment, and also that of many others, stated that “Vietnam National Report to the UPR is a truthful declaration on respecting human rights”.

Reporter: What are the recommendations to Vietnam’s report? What is Vietnam’s view on them, sir?

- There were 106 countries participating in the dialogue and many of them gave recommendations to us. In all, Vietnam received 227 recommendations, which are shorter and more concrete that those in the first cycle so that it will be easier for Vietnam to realize them.

These recommendations touched upon all issues relating to promoting and protecting human rights. Generally speaking, these recommendations are positive and constructive. After receiving the inputs, the Vietnamese delegation, including representatives from 11 ministries and branches, met and analysed them. The delegation primarily concluded that most of the recommendations can be accepted because they go in line with our Party and State’s renewal policy and the human rights situation in Vietnam. They will be useful supplements and help us better identify our priorities in promoting and protecting human rights.

However, there are some groundless recommendations that do not correctly reflect the reality in Vietnam. We do not accept them. As scheduled, our ministries and branches will review every recommendation and in the 26th meeting of the UNHRC in June, Vietnam will officially announce its approval of the recommendation.

Reporter: What will Vietnam do to further improve human rights in the country and fulfil its international responsibilities in this field, sir?

- Our Party and State’s consistent policy is to promote and protect human rights in the country and actively strengthen international cooperation to promote human rights worldwide. Our achievements, recognized by the international community, and our practical cooperation efforts in international forums are reasons why Vietnam was elected into the UNHRC with high number of votes.

Domestically, we need to continue our efforts, measures, policies and resources to further improve the observation of people’s rights. At the same time, we have to implement our voluntary commitments made when we bid for a seat in the UNHRC.

Internationally speaking, Vietnam is now a member of the UNHRC. Therefore, we will actively participate and contribute to making this body more effective, transparent and objective in order to promote dialogue and cooperation within the UNHRC’s framework. We are willing to share with and learn from experiences of other countries, as well as cooperate with them in new initiatives of international common concerns.

Reporter: What are Vietnam’s priorities in promoting human rights in the coming time, Mr. Deputy Minister?

- Despite challenges and difficulties, our Party’s and State’s policy is to make every effort to overcome them. We will seriously observe the recommendations that we accept at the UPR. I think, this is Vietnam’s highest commitment to the international community.

In that spirit, I think that we need to give priorities to the following five fields:

First, we need to review, amend and supplement our legal documents and policies relating to human rights to make them suitable with the new contents of Vietnam’s constitution 2013 on human and civil rights, as well as implementing our commitments to the international community.

Second, we need to continue mobilizing resources for national and strategic programmes relating to ensuring social security, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the disabled, women, children and ethnic minority people.

Third, continuing administrative reform, boosting anti-corruption, broadening democracy at grass-root levels, and promoting institutions to ensure human rights, especially minimizing legal violations or violating civilian’s rights.

Fourth, being determined to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Finally, we should promote education on human rights, facilitating people to participate more actively and effectively in the process of making and implementing policies.

Promoting and protecting human rights is a long process that requires continuous efforts in which we have to strongly confirm our commitments in promoting human rights to the international community.

Reporter: Thank you very much!

Source: qdnd.vn