Authorities in Hà Nội's Vĩnh Tuy Ward present rice to people who faced difficulties due to COVID-19. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam remains consistent that all targets and policies are tailored for people throughout its history, and the Party and the State have made endless efforts to let people fully enjoy human rights and the fundamental rights of citizens.

The Party and the State have also paid great attention to promoting international cooperation in the field of human rights on the basis of equality, respect and understanding among nations. Advancements and international contributions by Việt Nam have been acknowledged by ASEAN countries, which nominated Việt Nam to become the bloc’s candidate for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in the 2023-25 tenure.

Human rights associated with those of the nation

Late President Hồ Chí Minh highlighted the basic rights of humans in the Declaration of Independence in 1945, writing that: “All the peoples on Earth are equal from birth, all peoples have a right to live, to be happy and free”.

All efforts in the struggle for national independence and reunification of Việt Nam over past decades were aimed to ensure that all Vietnamese people benefit fully from human rights, including the right to live in peace, independence, freedom and the right to decide their own destiny and development paths.

Việt Nam has continuously strived to build a socialist state ruled by law and of the people, by the people and for the people and improve the legal system on human rights. The adoption of the 2013 Institution with a Chapter about the “Human Rights, Fundamental Rights and Obligations of Citizens” and a series of legal documents relating to human rights proved the meaningful efforts of the country and created an important legal framework to ensure human rights and citizens’ rights.

Việt Nam has also spared no efforts to complete mechanisms and develop infrastructure to better ensure human rights. All socio-economic development strategies, programmes and projects are built on the basis of the people-centred approach, towards the people and serving the people.  

Encouraging achievements

These above efforts have helped Việt Nam gain positive results in ensuring human rights, from civil and political rights to economic, cultural and social rights and the rights of vulnerable groups.

The National Assembly of Việt Nam has amended and issued many legal documents, including laws relating to ensuring human rights such as the Press Law, the Law on Belief and Religion, the Law on Access to Information and the Law on Cyber Security. By contributing opinions to the process of law building, people have exercised their rights to freedom and democracy. All important legal documents demonstrate the will, interests and aspirations of people.

Vietnamese people’s rights to mastery is demonstrated through the rights to vote and stand for election; the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press; the rights to freedom of belief and religion, etc.

In order to guarantee human rights and citizens’ rights and promote socio-economic development in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Việt Nam established the National E-Government Committee to boost the building of the e-Government and portals for State agencies to provide online public services for officials, agencies and organisations to hold direct dialogues with people and improve the efficiency of tasks relating to the receiving of complaints and suggestions of people and businesses.

The Youth Union of Hải Lăng District in central Quảng Trị Province in coordination with the World Vision Việt Nam organised the first ever swimming class for local children with disabilities. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam has over the past years successfully implemented many socio-economic development programmes, contributing to better ensuring human rights in these fields. The country recorded an average GDP growth rate of 6.8 per cent annually during the 2016-19 period. In 2020, although heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth rate still reached 2.91 per cent, helping Việt Nam become one of the fastest growing countries in the region and the world.

One of the most outstanding achievements of Việt Nam in ensuring human rights is the remarkable progress in hunger eradication and poverty reduction, improving people’s development and quality of life. By the end of 2020, the rate of poor households dropped to 2.75 per cent. Việt Nam has gained impressive achievements in implementing the millennium development goals in poverty reduction and was recognised by the international community.

Education and training and healthcare have been continuously improved. So far, all 63 provinces and cities provide universal access to pre-school education for five-year old children and primary education universalisation. Apart from healthcare services, Việt Nam has also implemented many measures to improve people’s health and prevent diseases such as the national programme on safe water and rural sanitation. The rate of households using safe water kept increasing year after year. Health insurance coverage was expanded. The number of people participating in health insurance increased from 3.8 million in 1993 to nearly 88 million people in 2020, equivalent to 91 per cent of the population.

A resident in Hà Nội's Hai Bà Trưng District is vaccinated against COVID-19. — VNA/VNS Photo

Regarding cultural achievements, the movement “All people unite to build cultural life” was promoted, the Government issued a decree on recognising cultural titles, and Việt Nam has many heritages recognised by UNESCO as cultural heritages of humanity.  

Particularly, Việt Nam has made great efforts in caring for and guaranteeing the rights of vulnerable groups, including women, children and people with disabilities. Children are better cared for and protected in comprehensive physical, intelligent and spiritual development and the rate of females getting access to education at all levels increased. Việt Nam’s renewal policies have created opportunities for women to take part in more in socio-economic activities of the country. Female workers get better care during pregnancy and retirement periods. People with disabilities receive better care and assistance and are given opportunities to access education and employment.

The consistent goal of “No one left behind” of the Party, State and the political system has been resolutely and effectively implemented since the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the Party and State always consider people as both the target and the motivation for the national construction and protection cause. Not only during natural disasters and the pandemic, but in all circumstances, people are always protected and guaranteed in terms of life, assets and living conditions by authorities.

International contributions

Việt Nam has joined most UN conventions on human rights, including the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Việt Nam has also always strived to contribute to common, positive and progressive values of humanity in human rights through active participation in forums relating to human rights of the UN, ASEAN and other institutions. At these forums, Việt Nam proactively put forward initiatives about human rights which were highly welcomed by the international community, particularly initiatives relating to guarantee the rights of women, children, people with disabilities and those suffering due to climate change.

Việt Nam was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council during the 2014-16 tenure. In 2016 and 2018, under Việt Nam’s initiatives, two resolutions co-authored by Việt Nam and other countries about impacts of climate change on the rights of children and women were approved by the council.

Việt Nam has also actively participated in dialogues with many countries and territories about human rights such as the US, Australia, Switzerland and the EU in order to improve the enjoyment of human rights for people in each nation.

Not only one of countries that have successfully advanced many Millennium Development Goals of the UN, Việt Nam is also well-known as a country implementing the inclusive development goal, leaving no one behind, of the UN.

Achievements of the Đổi mới (Renewal) process and development cause of the nation together with continuous progress in ensuring and promoting human rights in Việt Nam have been recognised by the international community.

With the hope of contributing more to global efforts in promoting and protecting human rights, Việt Nam is running for election to the UN Human Rights Council during the 2023-25 tenure. Việt Nam is honoured to be nominated by ASEAN countries with high consensus to become the bloc’s candidate for a seat on the council. — VNS