 Vietnam comprehensively ensures human rights (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
The Vietnamese Party and State have made constant efforts to ensure that the people fully enjoy human rights and fundamental citizen rights.
In the last 30 years, Vietnam has risen on the human development index and has been among the countries with the highest growth rate. In 1990, when Vietnam first joined the human development index rankings, its index was only 0.48. In 2021 its index had risen to 0.703, jumping two places from 2019 to 115th out of 191 countries and territories.
Professor Jonathan Pincus, a UN Development Program Senior Expert, said: "Unlike most countries in the world, Vietnam has sustained its economic growth during last year of the pandemic. Although the average pace of growth changed during this difficult year. Vietnam was not like most of the rest of the world. Vietnam's human development index in 2021 was 0.703 which was essentially changed from the last 2 years. And in the ranking, Vietnam increased two places in 2021,"
Other studies show that Vietnam has made impressive strides after 35 years of national renewal. The renewal process requires better recognition, respect, and protection of human rights in economics and in other social aspects.
At the plenary session of the 3rd annual high-level forum on the 4th Industrial Revolution, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the importance of ensuring democracy, peace, and a prosperous and happy life for Vietnam’s 100 million people, and not sacrificing social security, the environment, social progress, or equality for mere economic growth.
Vietnam’s policies and commitments to protecting and promoting human rights, centering on the people, and considering the people the important goal and motivation of national development are clearly demonstrated in the documents of the 13th National Party Congress and the COVID-19 response in Vietnam.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang said: "Vietnam has demonstrated its highest, strongest political commitment to promoting human rights. This is the general approach the UN and other countries are using to protect human rights worldwide. As a responsible member of the UN and the international community, Vietnam pays constant attention to that universal value."
Globally, Vietnam has joined most key international human rights conventions, including the Convention on Civil Rights, the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racism, and the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Human rights have been comprehensively reflected in the 5 revisions of Vietnam’s Constitution. The 2013 Constitution has a Chapter with 36 Articles stipulating directly and clearly human rights and the fundamental rights and obligations of citizens.
Vietnam constantly supplements and updates legal documents and ordinances concerning human rights and the fundamental rights and obligations of citizens.
These include the 2015 Criminal Code, the 2015 Civil Code, 2015 Law on Public Referendum, the 2016 Law on Children, the 2017 Law on Legal Assistance, the 2018 Law on Cyber Security, and the 2019 revised Labor Code.
In an online message delivered to the High-level Segment of the 49th Regular Session of the United Nations in March, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said: "This year marks the 45th anniversary of Vietnam's UN membership. But for 77 years since our nation's independence in 1945, Vietnam has been taking on unwavering commitments to delivering our people the very values that the UN is striving for. People are at the heart of Vietnam's development strategy. They are both the chief beneficiary and principal driver of Vietnam's development process."
"We seek to balance GDP growth with cultural and social progress, environmental protection, and climate resilience. This people centric and holistic approach has enabled Vietnam to effectively tackle challenges. Vietnam's GDP growth in 2021 was 2.58% and is protected to accelerate to 5.5% this year. Poverty rate continues to fall and human development index keeps improving," added Mr. Son.
Vietnam is aiming to protect human rights in all aspects. The values that Vietnam is striving to ensure for its people are the values that the UN pledges to humankind. Vietnam is ready to cooperate with other stakeholders in promoting the principles of the UN Charter and international law, and strengthen the performance of the UN Human Rights Council through dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.