Throughout its development, Vietnam has held consistent views on ethnic affairs, placing national issues and national unity in a strategic position in the revolutionary cause, and promoting the national policy of equality, solidarity, and mutual support. Vietnam does not support any discrimination between ethnicities.
Acknowledged in the legal system
In the Vietnamese legal system, regulations on eliminating all forms of racial discrimination are prioritized and guaranteed by the Party and State. Vietnam’s first Constitution in 1946 stipulated that all Vietnamese citizens have equal rights in all aspects – politics, economics, and culture – and are equal before the law and can participate in the government and nation-building according to their talents and virtues. In addition to equality of rights, minorities are helped in all aspects to promptly catch up with the general level.
Article 5 of the 2013 Constitution stipulates that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a unified nation of all ethnicities living together in the country of Vietnam. All the ethnicities are equal to, united with, and respect and assist one another for mutual development. All acts of discrimination against and division of the ethnicities are prohibited. Every ethnic group has the right to use its own spoken and written language to preserve its own identity and to promote its own customs, practices, traditions, and culture and the State shall implement a policy of comprehensive development and create conditions for minority ethnicities to draw upon and further their internal strengths and develop together with the country.
Along with the Constitution, regulations on equality and non-discrimination are specified in Vietnamese legal documents, policies, and national goals and deployed systematically in all fields in order to create favorable conditions for ethnic minority groups to develop equally. These are specific manifestations of ensuring human rights, says Professor Dr. Vo Khanh Vinh, former Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
"Principles and content concerning human rights have been acknowledged more comprehensively and systematically in the Party's documents. The ideology and values of the rule of law and human rights are stipulated in Vietnamese law. In practice, state agencies, agencies in the political system, social organizations, and the people are implementing these regulations,' said Vinh.
Vietnam became a member of the Convention on the Prevention and Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1981. The same year, Vietnam joined the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the International Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Racial Discrimination.
Achievements
With consistent guidelines and policies on ethnic affairs, Vietnam has gained significant achievements in enhancing political, economic and social development in ethnic minority areas. In recent years, the proportion of ethnic minorities participating in the political apparatus has grown. During four recent consecutive National Assembly terms, the proportion of National Assembly deputies who are members of an ethnic minority ranges from 15.6% to 17.3%, higher than the proportion of ethnic minorities in the total population (14.4%). 51 of 53 ethnic minorities have sent representatives to the National Assembly. Only two ethnic groups – the O Du, with a population of less than 1,000 people, and the Ngai, with a population of less than 2,000 people, have never had a representative in the National Assembly. Vietnam aims to have representatives of all ethnic groups in the National Assembly.
Many localities have a high percentage of ethnic minority officials, civil servants, and public employees in the government apparatus: Cao Bang 87.9%, Bac Kan 77.8%, Lang Son 75.2%, Ha Giang 56%, and Son La 53%.
In its budget allocation, the Vietnamese State always prioritizes ethnic minority programs and projects. It invested 10.6 billion USD in the 2003-2008 period and 42.5 billion USD in the 2016-2020 period. In the 2021-2025 period, Vietnam adopted for the first time a National Target Program for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, demonstrating the Party and State’s determination to enhance the position and ensure the right to develop of ethnic minority people.
The Vietnamese Party and State attach great importance to ethnic policies, especially to ensuring equal rights among ethnic groups and creating the best conditions for ethnic minorities to preserve their cultural identity, develop, and enjoy all rights recognized by law.