Human Rights in Vietnam: Milestones on the Journey for Humanity
Báo Dân trí•14/12/2024
Along with achievements in nation building, Vietnam has achieved many successes in ensuring human rights in all aspects of social life.
The joy of children in the highlands. (Photo: Phan Tuan Anh/VNA)
"The greatest human right in Vietnam is to care for 100 million people to have prosperity and happiness, democracy, a peaceful life, security, safety, and people's safety, and to maximize the human factor." Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's statement most truthfully expressed the Party and State's viewpoint in implementing the commitment to ensure human rights in Vietnam, always striving to leave no one behind in the development process, because that is always the nature of the socialist regime in Vietnam. Vietnam's achievements in ensuring human rights during the 79 years of its founding and nearly 40 years of implementing the Doi Moi process, first of all, have brought practical benefits to every citizen, and then created an impression of Vietnam's image in the international arena. It is necessary to affirm that the struggle for national independence, unification, and the socio-economic development of Vietnam are not beyond the highest goal of ensuring the lives and rights of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, all of Vietnam's development achievements are for the people. Since 2019, the average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Vietnam has increased by 25%, the poverty rate has decreased by 1.5% per year. With sustainable poverty reduction solutions and policies effectively implemented in the spirit of "leaving no one behind", by the end of September 2024, the poverty rate nationwide was 1.93%, down 1%. Social housing construction has achieved positive results; in a short time, over 6,000 billion VND has been mobilized for the movement to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses. The level 4 house meets the "3 hard" criteria (hard foundation, hard frame-wall, hard roof) and was newly built under the program to eliminate temporary, damaged, and dilapidated houses for the poor in Hamlet 5, Nghia Dong Commune, Tan Ky District, Nghe An Province. (Photo: Xuan Tien/VNA) Vietnam currently ranks 54th out of 166 countries ranked in the sustainable development index, up 1 place compared to 2023. Professor Carl Thayer from the Australian Defense Force Academy, University of New South Wales, was strongly impressed with the success of Vietnam's economy, with a growth rate forecast to reach 6.1-7% in 2024, and a sharp decline in the poverty rate. He paid special attention to achievements that help ensure social security and improve the lives of Vietnamese people, such as increasing the base salary and annual regional minimum wage for workers from mid-2024. Professor Reena Marwah from the University of Delhi, who is also Secretary General of the Asian Scholars Association, affirmed that Vietnam has made very impressive and remarkable progress in all areas, not only in trade and investment attraction but also in increasing per capita income. Vietnamese people have benefited from remarkable social progress, with per capita income increasing from about 200 USD to more than 4,000 USD by 2024. Along with achievements in nation building, Vietnam has achieved many successes in ensuring human rights in all aspects of social life. Civil, economic, political and cultural human rights in Vietnam are clearly stipulated in the Party's policies and guidelines and the State's legal policies. Jonathan Pincus, Chief Economist of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam, noted: "Human development has always been a focus of Vietnam's development policy from the very beginning and we have witnessed great achievements in Vietnam over the past decade, especially in access to education. Some indicators such as health have also improved quite significantly over the past decade". Students in a literacy class. (Photo: Trung Kien/VNA) Vietnam's health insurance coverage rate is now 94.1%, up from 90.9% in 2000. According to the United Nations World Happiness Report 2024, Vietnam's happiness index increased by 11 places, ranking 54/143. UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Ramlaal Khalidi highlighted that Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) has increased continuously for many years and is now in the high index group, emphasizing that this can only be achieved with a sustainable development orientation. Meanwhile, Professor Carl Thayer said that the guarantee of human rights in Vietnam is clearly demonstrated in aspects such as ensuring gender equality, sustainable development goals, public health, education, treatment of ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ community... Vietnam continues to demonstrate its efforts and responsibility in its second year as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. At the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Vietnam actively participated and made practical contributions by chairing a number of initiatives and co-sponsoring many initiatives, including a number of ASEAN joint statements, chairing the development and presentation of the Joint Statement on promoting the human right to vaccination, organizing an international seminar, and dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development... The United Nations Human Rights Council has approved the results of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle IV for Vietnam. Referring to Vietnam as the representative of the Asia-Pacific region elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for two terms, Professor Carl Thayer found that the international community strongly supports Vietnam. Meanwhile, expert Layton Pike - member of the Advisory Board of the Australia - Vietnam Policy Institute, believes that as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Vietnam has the opportunity to cooperate with Australia and other countries in the region to promote basic human rights globally. Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation, and other members of the delegation attended the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council. (Photo: Anh Hien/VNA) Speaking on the sidelines of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Permanent Secretary of the World Peace Council (WPC) Iraklis Tsavdaridis praised Vietnam's consistent policy on protecting and promoting human rights, expressing his impression of Vietnam's achievements in reducing extreme poverty and rapidly improving its rankings according to international standards, despite many difficulties in the process of building and developing the country. Mr. Iraklis Tsavdaridis said he firmly believes that Vietnam, which is preparing to celebrate many major holidays in 2025, always focuses on human rights and the protection of human rights. First of all, the right to live in peace, the right to enjoy welfare, the right to a prosperous life, and the right to daily improvement in living conditions. Concluding the process of human development and ensuring human rights in Vietnam, in a letter sent to the National Scientific Conference "Humans, human rights are the center, goal, subject and driving force of national development" held in October 2024, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam reaffirmed: "Implementing a consistent and consistent viewpoint on human rights is the key factor creating the strength of the great national unity bloc, combining national strength with the strength of the times, under the leadership of the Party, bringing the Vietnamese revolutionary boat through all rapids, achieving one victory after another..." Those are the marks on the journey of ensuring human rights in Vietnam, and that is also the basis for Mr. Tsavdaridis, who always affirms that Vietnam is "a resilient nation," to believe that he will witness Vietnam's strong steps forward in national development, ensuring prosperity, happiness and well-being for the people.
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