The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang. Photo: VNA

A Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, made active contributions to the agenda of the 52nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that concluded in Geneva on April 4, VNA reported.

The Vietnamese delegation had actively participated the session since its beginning. Following the high-level session, the Vietnamese delegation actively participated in the process of the record-long 52nd session, which lasted more than a month, with a huge workload.

Along with highlighting Vietnam’s achievements in boosting national development and ensuring human rights, Vietnam raise the idea of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (VDPA).

To realise the initiative, Vietnam has made great efforts to build a core group with representatives of all regions of the world, while conducting negotiations on a draft resolution on the 75th anniversary of the UDHR and the 30th anniversary of the VDPA.

An overview of the session. Photo: VNA

The resolution was adopted on April 3 by consensus and co-sponsored by 102 states as of the end of April 4 afternoon (Geneva time), including 14 co-authors (Vietnam, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Fiji, India, Panama, Romania, South Africa, and Spain).

The result showed recognition of efforts and goodwill by Vietnam during the negotiations while proving that the contents of the resolution meets the common attention and priority of all countries.

During the session, Vietnam was active in giving opinions in many discussions on the observance of specific human rights such as rights to housing and food, cultural rights, development rights, child rights, and the rights to fair, equal and timely access to reasonable prices of Covid-19 vaccines.

In all speeches, Vietnam spotlighted the country’s constant policies, efforts and achievements in promoting and observing human rights, affirming its commitments to sustainable development for the interest of people, underlining the significance of settling inequality and protecting vulnerable people, and calling for the dealing with global challenges such as climate change.

Vietnam also committed to strengthening constructive cooperation with other countries, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UNHRC and its mechanisms, aiming to promote and protect human rights for all on the basis of respecting the UN Charter, international treaties on human rights, and ensuring national sovereignty and the principles of objectivity, fairness, constructive dialogue and cooperation.

Vietnamese delegates to the UNHRC session. Photo: VNA

Together with other ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation had a speech on issues of ASEAN shared concern, including the development rights, technical cooperation and capacity building on human rights and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Regarding climate change and human rights, which are the priorities of Vietnam and other countries, Vietnam, along with Bangladesh and the Philippines, which are members of the Core Group on climate change and human rights at the UNHRC for many years, drafted and delivered a Joint Statement on Climate Change and Human Rights at this session, attracting a large number of co-sponsor countries.

At the same time, Vietnam also actively met and discussed with delegations from other countries and co-sponsors on a number of initiatives in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation as well as in the implementation of the duties of the members of the UNHRC in the process of consulting and voting to approve 43 draft resolutions of the council.

The active participation of the Vietnamese delegation at the 52nd regular session of the UNHRC demonstrates Vietnam's efforts and responsibilities as a member of the council for the 2023-2025 tenure.

At the event, Vietnam sent out a strong message on its consistent viewpoints, policies, achievements and ASEAN's common views and achievements in the promotion and protection of human rights, thus contributing to the cooperation with other countries to ensure that the operation of the council is consistent with the basic principles of the UN Charter and international conventions regarding human rights.

During the session, lasting for more than one month, participants discussed more than 80 reports, while considering and approving 43 draft thematic resolutions, passing the UPR reports of 14 countries, and approving the decision to appoint 10 personnel for Special Procedures.

Asked about Vietnam’s initiative on the UNHRC’s resolution on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of UDHR and the 30th anniversary of VDPA, Mai said the document focuses on the importance of the two declarations, reiterating their main principles of human rights, reflecting countries’ wide interest in the commemoration, improving the position, role, and operational efficiency of the UNHRC and other human rights mechanisms of the UN.

It emphasises the leading role of countries in ensuring human rights, recognising the participation of women, the role of international cooperation and unity, and respecting diversity and inclusiveness in promoting and protecting human rights in general and in joining the council’s work in particular.

The resolution also proposes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights carry out commemorative activities, including a high-level UN event on human rights in December, and a report on the celebrations to be submitted to the 56th UNHRC session next year.

Mai called the resolution an outstanding hallmark created by Vietnam at the first session as a council member for 2023-2025, saying it demonstrates the country’s substantive, responsible contributions to the council’s affairs.

The Vietnamese permanent mission directly drafted, consulted, and negotiated the draft resolution after Deputy PM Quang proposed the initiative at the session.

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