The initiatives are a joint statement on gender equality in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a side event co-organized with the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Thailand on the human rights impacts of online fraud.

The Vietnamese delegation will contribute to discussions on key issues, including climate change, children’s rights, the right to food, the rights of persons with disabilities, and other shared concerns of the international community.

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the irreplaceable role of the UNHRC and its subsidiary mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), describing them as key instruments for holding states accountable and safeguarding human dignity in today’s volatile global context.

The 61st session opened on Monday and will run through the end of March. It will feature 7 panel discussions, 30 dialogues with Special Procedures mandate holders, 84 report discussions, and the UPR reports of 14 countries.