Vietnam is an active and responsible member of the Human Rights Council.

In an interview with a VNA reporter in Geneva after the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam in Geneva, spoke about Vietnam's efforts at this session and preparations for re-election to the Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term.

- Could you please tell us about the main contents discussed and the results of the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as Vietnam's participation and contributions?

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung: This session takes place in the context of the world continuing to witness the most profound and complex changes in many years.

Protracted conflicts, geopolitical tensions, inequality, climate change, and humanitarian crises pose serious challenges to the protection and promotion of human rights.

In addition, the decline in confidence in the multilateral system and international law requires countries to recommit to multilateralism, solidarity and global justice, considering it a prerequisite to restore confidence, strengthen peace and protect universal human values.

In that context, the session considered and discussed a large volume of work, comprehensively reflecting the fields of human rights in the current global context. The Council adopted 01 statement of the President of the Human Rights Council and 1 decision of the President of the Human Rights Council, and 36 resolutions; focusing on discussing many important issues including on unilateral coercive measures and human rights, anti-discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex people, youth and human rights, rights of indigenous peoples, mainstreaming gender equality in the work of the Human Rights Council.

Delegates at the United Nations visit the photo exhibition "Vietnam - Member of the United Nations Human Rights Council: Respect and Understanding. Dialogue and Cooperation. All human rights - For all people". (Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA)

Notably, the Council also spent time discussing enhancing operational efficiency and improving working methods towards a transparent, balanced and duplicative mechanism, in line with the general reform spirit of the United Nations.

At this session, issues such as drugs, the death penalty, and human rights situations in specific countries continued to be controversial topics, with no common voice found among countries, leading to the need to pass resolutions by vote.

Issues such as the right to clean drinking water and sanitation, the rights of older persons, a non-discriminatory sports environment, the protection and promotion of economic, cultural and social rights in the context of inequality, the rights of women and children during and after conflict... reached a common consensus among all countries after more than two weeks of intensive consultations.

During the session, the Vietnamese delegation actively, proactively and responsibly participated in most of the important discussion sessions of the Council.

Vietnam has chaired the drafting and presentation of the Joint Statement on promoting the human right to vaccination, which has received widespread support from many countries, with 52 countries from all continents sponsoring it to date.

In addition, the Vietnamese delegation made many specific statements and views on practical topics such as youth and human rights, the impact of climate change, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, and the rights of the elderly and vulnerable groups.

Through this, Vietnam shared its experiences, policies and national efforts in promoting sustainable development associated with ensuring human rights for all people, especially emphasizing a comprehensive, people-centered approach.

The Vietnamese delegation also affirmed its consistent stance on promoting dialogue, cooperation, building trust and respecting national sovereignty in handling human rights issues, while opposing politicization.

The Vietnamese delegation attended the opening session of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council. (Photo: Anh Hien/VNA)

Together with ASEAN countries, Vietnam participated, co-sponsored and delivered joint statements on a number of regional issues of concern such as technical cooperation, capacity building and the human rights situation in Cambodia, demonstrating ASEAN's spirit of solidarity, responsibility and proactive role in international human rights mechanisms.

With an objective, balanced and constructive approach, Vietnam both protects its interests and principled stance and promotes the common progressive values of the international community, contributing to promoting dialogue, cooperation and strengthening the role of the Human Rights Council as a global forum for understanding, respect and cooperation for the human rights of all people.

- This is the last session that Vietnam participates in as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. How do you feel about Vietnam's recent journey as a member of the Human Rights Council?

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung: Human rights continue to be one of the three important pillars of the United Nations, recognized by the international community as the common goal and ideal of humanity.

Human rights are increasingly linked and intertwined with other areas, from peace, security, development to climate change response, digital transformation...

In that context, the Human Rights Council plays the role of the foremost important forum to discuss and address both urgent and long-term issues related to the protection and promotion of human rights, through various mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), special procedures, independent experts, monitoring mechanisms and technical assistance.

Although there are still differences in views on some issues and no consensus has been reached among countries, the Human Rights Council has maintained its central role, contributing to the comprehensive promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and the right to development, while closely linking with other areas in the international multilateral system and providing a number of comprehensive international frameworks and mechanisms to promote the protection of human rights.

The past three years have been a meaningful journey for Vietnam. As a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, with a clear awareness of the role and significance of human rights in general and of the Human Rights Council in particular, Vietnam has clearly demonstrated its positive, responsible and constructive role, always proactively proposing, co-sponsoring and promoting many initiatives of practical value of common interest to the international community, which have been supported and highly appreciated by many countries.

At the same time, we have effectively utilized the Human Rights Council forum to promote areas of practical interest, while protecting and promoting the country's legitimate priorities and interests, contributing to shaping international standards on human rights on the basis of respect for international law and national sovereignty.

In addition, Vietnam's success at the Human Rights Council is also demonstrated through its objective, balanced and dialogical approach, avoiding politicization, helping Vietnam strengthen its position, voice and prestige in the eyes of international friends.

It is also important to emphasize that over the years, Vietnam has achieved many achievements in security, politics, foreign affairs, economy, development and human rights protection. Vietnam is also very serious in implementing its international commitments and obligations, typically Vietnam has successfully defended the National Report under the 4th UPR Mechanism (May 2024), the National Report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD, November 2023), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, March 2025) and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, July 2025).

In the coming time, Vietnam will continue to participate in working with relevant convention bodies to review reports under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, 2026) and the Convention against Torture (CAT, 2027). This is an extremely important foundation, helping us confidently participate effectively and responsibly in multilateral forums, including the Human Rights Council.

The process of participating in handling complex and multi-dimensional human rights issues is also a vivid practical experience, helping to train the capacity, thinking and skills, and accumulate experience for the Vietnamese diplomatic staff, better preparing them to take on roles at multilateral forums in the coming time.

The Vietnamese delegation attended the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Photo: Anh Hien/VNA)

Looking back on the past, I deeply feel that Vietnam has successfully fulfilled its duties as a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, demonstrating its mettle, prestige and high sense of responsibility. This is a solid foundation for Vietnam to continue promoting its results, preparing well for the re-election process for the 2026-2028 term, with the commitment to continue to make positive and constructive contributions to the work of the Human Rights Council.

- On that solid foundation, Vietnam is running for re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term and the election for membership of the Human Rights Council is approaching. Could you share your wishes and expectations before this very important vote?

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung: Vietnam entered the election with a proactive, confident and responsible attitude, based on a solid foundation of consistent implementation of commitments to promote and protect human rights, both domestically and internationally.

Through this candidacy, Vietnam can continue to affirm its role as an active, responsible and constructive member of the Human Rights Council, making substantial contributions to the common efforts to ensure all human rights for all people.

Domestically, Vietnam will continue to promote major priorities, including accelerating legal reform and building a rule-of-law state to fully ensure economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights; effectively implementing obligations under international human rights treaties to which Vietnam is a party; promoting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; enhancing human rights education and training in the national education system, especially at the university level and in law enforcement forces; continuing to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, promoting women's leadership and implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

At the Human Rights Council forum, Vietnam will continue to promote dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect among countries and international partners; participate more responsibly, proactively and effectively in the activities of the Human Rights Council, especially in issues related to vulnerable groups, the impacts of climate change and digital transformation.

Besides, in the context that the United Nations in general and the Human Rights Council in particular are making strong reform efforts, especially through the UN Secretary-General's "UN80" initiative, Vietnam wishes to actively contribute to this process.

Vietnam believes that reform must aim at a United Nations that is more effective, representative and more adaptive to new global challenges, while helping the Human Rights Council operate more transparently, objectively and inclusively, truly becoming a forum for promoting dialogue, cooperation and consensus instead of confrontation or imposition.

Vietnam stands ready to share its experiences, perspectives and good practices in this process, for a stronger, more effective and closer-to-the-people United Nations.

We also expect that Vietnam will continue to receive support and companionship from international friends on this journey.

As a member of the Human Rights Council, Vietnam will make every effort to improve the Council's operational efficiency, contributing to promoting the spirit of: "Respect and Understanding - Dialogue and Cooperation - For all human rights, for all people"./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-la-thanh-vien-tich-cuc-co-trach-nhiem-cua-hoi-dong-nhan-quyen-post1070286.vnp