The Vietnamese interdisciplinary delegation led by Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh attended the review session. Photo: BTP
On July 7, at the headquarters of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva (Switzerland), the Opening Session and the First Review Session of Vietnam's Fourth National Report on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) took place.
The Vietnamese interdisciplinary delegation led by Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh, together with representatives of 9 ministries and sectors directly involved in the implementation of the ICCPR Convention, attended this Review Session.
Efforts to promote and best implement human rights
Speaking at the opening session, Deputy Minister of Justice of Vietnam Nguyen Thanh Tinh stated that, with the motto of putting people at the center, considering it both the goal and the driving force of development, over the past time, Vietnam has always paid special attention, made strong efforts and commitments to promote and ensure the best implementation of human rights and civil rights, including civil and political rights under the ICCPR.
Vietnam's legal, administrative and judicial reforms as well as law enforcement all take people as the center, as the subject of service, and implement measures to protect and ensure human rights and civil rights in accordance with the law.
The head of the Vietnamese delegation said that, immediately after the constructive dialogue session with the Committee in 2019, the Vietnamese Government issued a National Plan to implement the Convention and the Committee's recommendations with the desire to clearly identify aspects that need to be improved and to complete institutional and organizational improvements to ensure substantive implementation.
In addition, during the preparation for the Dialogue Session, the Working Group also seriously studied the recommendations and questions raised by the Committee in the List of Issues as well as the content of over 50 reports contributed by different organizations and individuals sent to the Human Rights Committee.
"We understand that this Dialogue Session is a great opportunity for us to receive constructive comments. At the same time, this is also an opportunity for us to provide additional information to help Committee members and other organizations and individuals have a more complete, accurate and comprehensive picture of Vietnam's efforts and developments in the process of implementing the Convention," Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh emphasized.
There are strong developments in institutions and laws.
In his opening speech, the Head of the Vietnamese delegation conveyed Vietnam's strong developments in institutional building and improvement, legal and judicial reform to further promote the recognition, guarantee and enforcement of civil and political rights in practice, thereby ensuring and promoting civil and political rights.
Accordingly, regarding institutional and legal reform, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh said that since submitting the fourth National Report, Vietnam has revised, supplemented or issued more than 150 laws and resolutions of the National Assembly, including many laws and policies directly related to people's lives, promoting civil and political rights such as the right to access justice, the right to equality through regulations on increasing the ability and opportunity to access housing for low-income people; free legal aid for people under 18 years old and victims of human trafficking...
Most recently, Vietnam passed a revised Penal Code that narrowed the scope of the death penalty, eliminating the death penalty for eight crimes, including drug trafficking and some corruption crimes.
Recently, Resolution 66 dated April 30, 2025 on innovation in law making and enforcement also requires urgent removal of legal bottlenecks, including those related to human rights.
Along with legal reform, Vietnam has also promoted streamlining the administrative apparatus, abolishing the district level, building a two-tier local government model, enhancing decentralization, increasing resources for grassroots governments to better serve the people. Vietnam has also implemented solutions to ensure transparency, openness and efficiency in the implementation of policies and laws, strengthen education, and raise awareness of civil and political rights.
Reviewing some positive results, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Tinh said that Vietnam has put into operation the National Legal Portal to provide a timely and complete system of legal documents; receive and process feedback and recommendations from citizens and businesses on legal documents, including content affecting citizens' civil and political rights. The Supreme People's Court has built an electronic information page to publish judgments and decisions of the Court; a page on case law; and implemented online trials, helping people easily access justice.
In addition, Vietnam has implemented many social security and subsidy policies targeting disadvantaged groups, increasing access to education and healthcare. The government has exempted and supported tuition fees for preschool and primary school students nationwide; supported meals for students in mountainous, border and ethnic minority areas; and is developing a roadmap to exempt hospital fees for all people.
Vietnam also proactively responds to climate change, strengthens natural disaster prevention; focuses on investing in infrastructure and ensuring conditions for people to access information, and strengthens the exercise of freedom of the press, freedom of speech and access to information.
In addition, Vietnam always attaches importance to and is ready to participate constructively in dialogue and cooperation with human rights mechanisms. In 2025, Vietnam has participated and will participate in dialogue with a number of agencies monitoring the implementation of international human rights treaties, such as the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The head of the Vietnamese delegation also frankly acknowledged that in the process of ensuring, protecting and promoting the implementation of human rights, Vietnam still faces many difficulties and challenges from many different causes affecting the implementation of the Convention.
Therefore, Vietnam will continue to seriously implement its international commitments on human rights, promote dialogue and cooperation in this field. At the same time, it will take synchronous measures to promote, protect and better ensure the enjoyment of civil and political rights, and enhance the ability to adapt to climate change, including vulnerable groups, with appropriate steps and roadmaps in the coming time.
Before the Opening Session and Review Session, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Tinh had a courtesy meeting with Mr. Changrok SOH, Chairman of the Human Rights Committee. At the meeting, the Deputy Minister expressed his thanks to the Chairman and members of the Committee for their attention and arrangements for the Vietnamese delegation to attend this important meeting.
Sharing with the Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, the Deputy Minister said that Vietnam is synchronously implementing solutions to successfully implement the country's development goals by 2030 and 2045. The focus is on implementing four strategic pillars: Innovation in law-making and enforcement; development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation; development of the private economy; and strengthening international integration.
At the same time, Vietnam consistently implements the policy of economic development, closely linked to improving social welfare, taking people as the center, both as the goal and the subject of service. All policies and laws of Vietnam are aimed at the people, thereby realizing the goals of the ICCPR Convention.
For his part, Mr. Changrok SOH also hopes that the Vietnam Inter-sectoral Delegation and the Committee will have a constructive and frank dialogue session; thereby further supporting Vietnam in the process of ensuring and protecting civil and political rights under the ICCPR.
Dieu Anh
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/viet-nam-tien-hanh-cac-bien-phap-dong-bo-bao-dam-tot-hon-quyen-dan-su-va-chinh-tri-102250708212913956.htm
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