Ethnic and minority children in the northen region of Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Tuấn Anh

HÀ NỘI — Rising from wars, Việt Nam had made continuous efforts to build a socialist state with the rule of law, which was of the people, by the people and for the people, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh has said.

The country’s efforts to fight for national independence and reunification for decades were to ensure all Vietnamese people could enjoy their human rights to their utmost, including living in peace, independence and freedom, and deciding their destinies and development paths, he said.

The adoption of the Constitution 2013 with an exclusive chapter on human rights and civil rights and obligations and that of the over 90 subsequent legal documents related to human rights within four years were significant efforts to create an important legal framework for the protection of human rights and citizenship, he added.

Việt Nam had also strived to improve its institutional system and created material facilities to better ensure human rights, Minh said, adding that all socio-economic development projects, programmes and strategies were built on a people-oriented basis.

These endeavours had brought positive outcomes in ensuring human rights in various fields from the economy, society, and culture to civil and politics, the Deputy PM said.

Việt Nam had successfully implemented many of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule and was effectively carrying out the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), he noted.

The official said the country had maintained annual economic growth of over 6 per cent for many consecutive years and continued to focus on social development.

The right to education, healthcare and accommodation had improved with universal preschool and primary school education in all 63 cities and provinces, he said.

 Meanwhile, the right to gender equality had been promoted with the rate of female deputies in the National Assembly and the People’s Councils at all levels standing at 27 per cent, relatively high compared to other countries in the region.

 In addition to these achievements, the country had made active contributions to the world’s common, positive and progressive values of human rights.

Việt Nam was actively involved at human rights forums at the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other mechanisms, during which the Southeast Asian country had proactively puts forth initiatives on human rights and received warm support from the international community, especially those on the rights of women, children, people with disabilities and people vulnerable to climate change, Minh said.

In 2016 and 2018, Việt Nam tabled two resolutions on the impact of climate change on the rights of children and women, which were adopted by the UN Human Rights Council.

Việt Nam was also seriously implementing international commitments on human rights, including the enforcement of seven out of the nine treaties – to which it’s a member – as well as commitments under the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

 The country had submitted its third-cycle UPR national report on its efforts to improve the legal system and human rights policies. It was scheduled to participate in a dialogue with other member nations in January 2019.

To better ensure the rights of the people, Việt Nam would maximise efforts to perfect the state within the rule of law, and strengthen the legal foundation and policies related to the protection and promotion of human rights, according to Minh.

It would also push ahead with administrative reforms and improving the quality of public services as well as the prevention of corruption, promotion of democracy, and enhancement of the State apparatus, he said.

Deputy PM Minh added that Việt Nam was committed to promoting the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on sustainable poverty reduction policies and narrowing the development gaps between geographical areas and population groups, especially the vulnerable.

The country would continue supporting dialogues and co-operation in the field of human rights and work with other nations worldwide to promote the rights of the people, he affirmed. — VNA