Established in 2006, the Human Rights Council — the most important intergovernmental body of the United Nations responsible for human rights — has affirmed its role. With the desire for "all human rights for all people", Vietnam has always actively and responsibly participated in the activities of the Human Rights Council since this agency officially began operation.
Therefore, for the second time as a member of the Human Rights Council (2023-2025 tenure), Vietnam considers this both an honour and a great responsibility. To deserve the trust of the international community, Vietnam has constantly strived to better promote its role and responsibility in protecting and promoting human rights, not only domestically but also internationally.
Right at the 52nd session, which opened the term of the Human Rights Council, the Vietnamese delegation introduced the initiative to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA). The initiative reaffirmed the importance of the main principles related to human rights from the historical UDHR and VDPA documents, contributing to enhancing the position and role of the Human Rights Council and the UN human rights mechanisms.
On this basis, Vietnam's Permanent Representative Delegation directly drafted, consulted and negotiated the draft Resolution. By April 3, 2023, the Human Rights Council passed this resolution with the consensus of 121 countries, which was a concrete demonstration of Vietnam's great efforts and responsibility when joining the issues of common concern of the international community.
After the above success, Vietnam continued to demonstrate its pioneering role in building a series of annual resolutions on ensuring human rights in climate change. At the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council (June-July 2023), Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines co-hosted a discussion session on the negative impact of climate change on the full realisation of the right to food.
Thereby, the need to address gaps in human rights protection was emphasised, especially the rights of women and girls in the context of climate change. The discussion also affirmed women’s role in decision-making and policy issuance on climate change as well as called on countries to implement funding agreements, according to decisions made at COP 27. As a result, the developing countries will receive the assistance in preventing and addressing losses caused by climate change.
This is an important foundation for Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines to propose, draft content, and consult on developing Resolution 2023 on human rights and climate change. On July 12, 2023, the Human Rights Council adopted this resolution while 80 countries co-sponsored it. Also, during this session, Vietnam, the United States and Argentina co-hosted an international discussion on combating gender-based discrimination, violence, and harassment in the workplace.
Recently, at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council, Vietnam actively spoke at many meetings and discussed the issue of ensuring specific rights such as the right to a clean and sustainable environment; right to food; cultural rights; rights of people with disabilities; and children's rights. Vietnam also emphasised its priorities when participating in the Human Rights Council, including protecting vulnerable groups, gender equality, digital transformation, and human rights.
To date, Vietnam has actively performed the duties of a member of the Human Rights Council in consulting and voting to approve 32 draft resolutions and two decisions of the Human Rights Council. In addition to these results, Vietnam has submitted a National Report under the UNHRC’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. in which nearly 90% of the recommendations received in 2019 have been completely implemented. Vietnam also promoted dialogue and cooperation at the Human Rights Council, approached issues with many differences such as the relationship between development and human rights, reproductive health, and sex education.
Vietnam's contributions to the Human Rights Council in recent times have contributed to helping international friends better understand the country’s efforts to protect and promote human rights. On April 9, the international community's trust in Vietnam was also demonstrated by the fact that the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) unanimously elected Vietnam to the Executive Council of the UN Women for the 2025-2027 tenure. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to stand side by side with members of UN Women to participate in developing strategies to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, thus ensuring equality between women and men in the field of development.
The above achievements show that Vietnam is always confident and ready to shoulder many international responsibilities for human rights. However, there are still some unkind individuals and organisations deliberately denying Vietnam's contributions in the field of human rights. Recently, sabotage activities have been tending to increase with the aim of preventing Vietnam from running for membership in the Human Rights Council during the 2026-2028 tenure. Under the guise of "fighting" for freedom and democracy, the above subjects and organisations have often taken advantage of international press forums to distort and blacken the human rights situation in Vietnam with many unfounded accusations. Typically, the recent statement of a representative of the World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVISUS) said that Vietnam "has not implemented many recommendations made by the Human Rights Council during the recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2019.
In addition, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organisation, which has long often shown its extremist nature and lack of goodwill towards Vietnam, also made slanderous and prejudiced allegations with bad intentions such as the opinion that Vietnam is an unmitigated disaster as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, launched a massive crackdown on civil society groups and activists in the country, and actively tolerating human rights abuses by other countries brought in the Council.
It is evident that hostile sabotage forces are deliberately ignoring the fact that Vietnam has submitted the National Report under the UNHRC’s fourth cycle of the UPR mechanism and implemented nearly 90% of the recommendations made by the parties. According to the assessment of Ramla Khalidi, Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, at the consultation workshop on draft the National Report of Vietnam for the 4th cycle of the UPR on November 24, 2023, Vietnam has shown its pioneering role in protecting and promoting human rights.
Even more condemnable, some self-proclaimed human rights organisations such as Vietnam Human Rights Network, Human Rights Defenders, and the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam have produced many reports that are false and not objective statements about Vietnam's implementation of human rights conventions in order to put pressure on the UNHRC at a meeting to review the State of Vietnam’s implementation of the Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR), aiming to interfere in Vietnam's internal affairs.
Most of the accusations made by these individuals and organisations are not new and have been refuted by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and domestic press agencies through specific evidence and data. Unfortunately, some agencies, human rights enforcement mechanisms and some countries still rely on false information to make imputative statements about the work of ensuring and protecting human rights in Vietnam, without consulting, selecting, and evaluating information seriously and objectively. This not only negates the efforts of the entire political system and people of Vietnam in the field of human rights, but also creates barriers in the process of mutual understanding and establishing a common direction in this field.
Although there will be many difficulties and challenges in the next half of the term, it can be affirmed that Vietnam has successfully assumed the role as a member of the Human Rights Council for 2023-2025 tenure with many specific milestones.
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, 2024 is a pivotal year for the term of membership of the Human Rights Council 2023-2025, with many key activities such as presentation and dialogue on the National Report under 4th UPR cycle while continuing to promote initiatives and priorities, especially those on climate change and human rights, in combination with the work of mobilising countries to continue supporting Vietnam for the its re-election as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 tenure.
With the highest determination and strength from the solidarity and unity of the Party, State and people, Vietnam will certainly continue to make important contributions to the Human Rights Council and other human rights mechanisms of the UN and ASEAN. With practical actions, Vietnam is on the right track in the process of promoting international solidarity and inclusive and sustainable development.
