A report released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has emphasized the importance of adapting local laws to comply with international norms.
The findings were released on December 3 as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) undertaken by the UN Human Rights Council to improve the promotion and protection of human rights.
The report also addressed other priority areas for the Vietnamese Government, including access to social security as well as improvements to education, healthcare, gender equity and international cooperation.
The report also contain Vietnam’s response to nearly 100 recommendations from other countries in addition to advancements made by the country during the past four years, including those in the fields of freedom of expression, religion and the rights of minority groups.
The report provides the international community with an overview of the nation’s human rights record and areas where progress is being made, said Hoang Chi Trung, director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Organizations Department.
UN Resident Coordinator Pratibha Mehta suggested the country consider the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution and ensure participation from all groups of society when it started working as a member of the UN Human Rights Council next year.-