Vietnam’s persistent policy aims for human rights and people

At the conference. (Photo: VOV)

At the conference. (Photo: VOV)

He emphasized that in the 1945-1954 period, when the State of Vietnam was newly founded, the Party and State issued a number of policies to protect human rights and the rights of working people. These included policies on gender equality at work and in all political and social activities, the right to vote for women, and an eight-hour working day. In the 1954-1975 period, Vietnam continued to perfect its policies on labour, employment, social welfare and the rights of working people.

PANO | Dec 10, 2015

Over the past 70 years, Vietnam has obtained a number of important achievements in human rights. These achievements reflect the fact that that all matters relating to human rights and citizenship have been put into Vietnamese laws, and that the Government and local authorities have always taken human rights for the citizens into account during realization of the Party’s and State’s policies and implementing their missions.

Experts offered the above assessments while discussing human rights and practices of human rights at a seminar titled “Vietnam’s human rights achievements over the past 70 years” at the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, Hanoi on December 9th, 2015. They came to the conclusion that human rights have always been ensured and honoured by the political system, and practices of human rights have been seen in every aspect of life.

The Party serves as the “director”

The Party serves as the “director” in the process of ensuring and fostering human rights in the country. The Party’s role as the “director” is reflected in crafting guidelines and policies for the country’s development.

Discussing the issue, Dr. Ta Ngoc Tan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, held that the first and foremost goal of the Vietnamese revolution under the leadership of the Party is to liberate people, particularly working people, and build a democratic, equal and civilized society bringing prosperity and happiness to the people. In doing so, the Party led the nation to fight foreign invaders for national independence in the past, and is now conducting the renewal process and international integration. The Party’s persistent policy in all revolutionary periods is to better serve the Vietnamese people and continuously promote human rights.

According to the professor, the 2013 Constitution, inheriting the previous constitutions of modern Vietnam, has 36 articles out of the total 120 articles which articulate human rights and citizenship. What is more, the Constitution defines that the State ensures and promotes human rights for people; recognizing, honouring, protecting and facilitating human rights and citizenship for the sake of the nation’s power, democracy, equality and civilization, and people’s prosperity and happiness. At the same time, the State creates the best conditions for people to develop comprehensively.

It must be said that the above provision in the 2013 Constitution is in accordance with the international standards for human rights.

At the seminar, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc also states that Vietnam persistently pursues its policy to honour and better ensure the civil rights and freedom of its people on one hand, and enhances cooperation with other countries and international organizations in promoting human rights. Vietnam is implementing its international commitments for practices of human rights and other civil rights in the country. In fact, Vietnam has signed most international conventions on human rights and civil rights and contributed significantly to promoting, protecting and ensuring good practice of human rights on a global scale.

He highlighted that, as Vietnam is on the way to international integration, its honouring human rights and better facilitating its citizens in practicing human rights also raises its status and beautifies its image in the international arena.

Discussing the role of the Party in other respects, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social and Labour Sciences, Luu Quang Tuan, spoke that over the past 70 years, the Party has outlined a number of policies directing governments from the Central to local levels to improve healthcare, education and training, and social safety and welfare systems. Thanks to these policies focused on human development, Vietnamese people from remote areas and islands to urban areas and cities are able to lead better lives with more access to public services. Especially, the Party’s policies are directed towards the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

He emphasized that in the 1945-1954 period, when the State of Vietnam was newly founded, the Party and State issued a number of policies to protect human rights and the rights of working people. These included policies on gender equality at work and in all political and social activities, the right to vote for women, and an eight-hour working day. In the 1954-1975 period, Vietnam continued to perfect its policies on labour, employment, social welfare and the rights of working people.

In the 1975-1986 period, although Vietnam had a large number of issues to deal with after the war against American imperialists, the Party and State still continued to issue many policies to improve the working conditions and lives of working people.

From 1986 until now, Vietnam has signed a number of international conventions relating to children’s rights, working people’s rights and gender equality. After the approvals, Vietnam has seriously implemented the international commitments.

Ensuring rights for ethnic people

Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic communities. According to official statistics, the 53 ethnic minority groups account for 14 percent of the population. Over many years, Vietnam has drawn up and executed policies on the rights of ethnic minorities. Dr. Phan Van Hung, Vice Chair of the Committee for Ethnic Affairs, said that the achievements in socio-economic development of the localities with ethnic minorities over the past few years are significant and noticeable. In fact, Party organizations at all levels lead and supervise the implementation of ethnic minority policy while governments from the Central to local levels take good care of ethnic people, protecting their rights, improving both their cultural and material lives, building large infrastructural projects, encouraging and assisting their study, work and comprehensive development, and effectively helping them reduce poverty.

The care and efforts of the Party and State have been recognized and hailed by domestic public opinion as well as other countries and international organizations.

Facts show that ethnic minorities are increasingly participating in the political system from the Central to local levels. In the 2011-2016 National Assembly, the deputies of ethnic minorities make up 15.6 percent while ethnic minorities represent 18 percent, 20 percent and 22.5 percent of the provincial-level, district-level and communal-level people’s councils, respectively.

Thanks to the Party’s appropriate policies and Government’s effective execution, the face of mountainous areas, home to ethnic minorities, has been beautified; the lives of ethnic minorities have been much improved; and incomes of ethnic minority people have evidently increased.

Over the past 10 years, more than 500 houses have been built for ethnic minority households in need; 72,000 households have been provided with farming land; and 153,000 households have been given access to safe water. What is more, traditional cultures of ethnic minorities have been restored and honoured; their languages and customs and practices have been restored and preserved.

Written by Anh Thu-Dang Le

Translated by Thu Nguyen