The international consultation workshop on the draft voluntary mid-term report on the implementation of UPR third-cycle recommendations Oct 22, 2021 (photo: Thu Trang)

Vietnam officially accepted 241 recommendations of the third-cycle UPR in January, 2019, and has implemented them systematically and comprehensively. Halfway through the third cycle, Vietnam has gained impressive results compared with other countries in ensuring and promoting human rights in labor, society, and gender equality.

Vietnam’s 2019 Labor Code is compatible with conventions on human rights of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations, of which Vietnam is a member. 

Vietnam has compiled dossiers to join the ILO’s Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, and is preparing to join the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CRMW). Vietnam’s aim is to bring its legal framework for ensuring and promoting human rights closer to the international standard. 

Vietnam has made outstanding progress in poverty reduction and social security. From 2016-2020 the national percentage of poor households was 2.75%. On average, poverty rate decreased by 1.4% per year.

It was 24% in poor districts. On average, poverty rate decreased by 5.6% per year. The National Target Program on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Social Security for 2021-2030 is set to achieve multi-dimensional, inclusive, sustainable poverty reduction; minimize the number of newly-poor families and families sliding back into poverty; help poor people reach a basic living standard with access to basic social services; and help poor localities escape chronic difficulties.

The Program will focus on improving human resources, generating decent jobs for poor people and people living in poor localities; reducing social inequality; and harmonizing economic development and social security.

To continue implementing the UPR recommendations, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs has asked the Prime Minister to issue a Decision on criteria for identifying poor and near-poor households and middle-income households for 2021-2025. The Ministry has revised and supplemented multi-dimensional poverty reduction policies covering employment, healthcare, education, housing, clean water, hygiene, and information.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister on December 28, 2020, approved a program on enhancing equal participation of women in leadership and management positions in the policy-making process for 2021-2030 to promote women’s potential and creativity. On March 3, 2021, the Vietnamese government issued a Resolution on the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2021-2030 to narrow the gender gap and create opportunities for women to contribute to national sustainable development.

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs has strengthened the enforcement of laws on labor and employment and implemented the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2021-2030 with a focus on gender equality in politics, economics, and labor. The Law on Gender Equality has continued to be revised.