Vietnam is making efforts to contribute to the protection of universal human rights by participating in multilateral organizations and mechanisms for major issues, a senior diplomat has said.

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang at the workshop on Dec 10. Photos: MOFA

Being a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Vietnam is actively contributing to exercising people’s rights to live in peace and sustainable development, showing its concrete activities for the common drive, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang said at an international consultant workshop this week. 

“To overcome tough times and work together towards the common goal of ensuring and promoting human rights around the world, cooperation, and substantive dialogues bilaterally and multilaterally become the best way to uphold the fairness, transparency, and non-discrimination principles,” Giang said at the event on the 2nd draft voluntary mid-term report on the implementation of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) 3rd cycle recommendations.

He said that Vietnam has maintained its consistent policy on protecting and promoting human rights in its development strategies. Giang emphasized that the people-centered approach is clearly stated in a speech delivered by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that the most importance is good living standards, happiness, democracy, safety, security without exchange of environmental protection and fairness for merely economic development.  

Co-chairing the event, Rana Flowers, United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Vietnam, stressed the importance to exercise the rights in labor and employment and rights for women and girls, noting that the UN will continue supporting Vietnam in the road ahead.

This is the first time Vietnam built and submitted to the UN Human Rights Council the voluntary mid-term report UPR 3rd cycle recommendations, affirming its strong commitments to implementing human rights.

Vietnam has announced its postulation to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2023-2025 term. It represents the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to bid for the body’s membership.

Giang said the member states’ consensus on Vietnam’s representation for the bid largely shows ASEAN’s support and recognition of Vietnam’s contributions to the UNHRC for the past term as its member (2014-2016).

Rana Flowers, United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Vietnam at the event.

The Council is made of 47 member states, which are elected by the majority of members of the UN General Assembly through direct and secret ballot. The General Assembly takes into account the candidate States' contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.

The Council’s membership is based on equitable geographical distribution with seats are distributed to African States (13 seats), Asia-Pacific States (13), Latin American and Caribbean States (8), Western European and other states (7), and Eastern European states (6).

Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.