Vietnam has participated in the CERD Convention since 1982 and has successfully defended its National Reports on the implementation of the CERD Convention many times.
In November 2023, the Vietnamese delegation set out to defend the 5th national report on the implementation of the Convention against Racial Discrimination (CERD 5) in Geneva, Switzerland. The new report marks Vietnam's progress and efforts in continuing to ensure the implementation of human rights protection policies, as well as policies towards ethnic minorities (EM) and foreigners in Vietnam (NNN).
Many new points in the 5th report
Vietnam's CERD 5 report closely follows the rights stated in CERD and Vietnam's implementation and achievements, with some outstanding contents continuing to be emphasized.
[caption id="attachment_577521" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
(Illustration)[/caption]First, the report focuses on the definition of racism and assesses the appropriateness of the definition of racism in Vietnamese laws.
Affirming that the Vietnamese legal system and operating mechanism create a strict and scientific monitoring system, ensuring compliance by public authorities in promoting and protecting human rights in general, and limiting racial discrimination in particular in the performance of public duties. Monitoring the implementation of human rights is carried out by three entities including the legislative body, the judiciary, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (including social organizations) and the people.
Second, the report highlights the results of implementing commitments to prohibit and eliminate racial discrimination in all forms and ensure equality before the law for ethnic minorities and foreigners living in Vietnam, especially in enjoying the rights stated in Article 5 of the CERD Convention, including: 11 civil and political rights (equal treatment before courts and other judicial bodies; the right to personal security and inviolability of the body; political rights, election and candidacy; freedom of movement and residence within the national territory; the right to leave any country, including one's own, and to return to one's own country; nationality; marriage, family and equality in marriage; inheritance; freedom of belief and religion; freedom of speech and the press; freedom of assembly and association); 6 economic, social and cultural rights (employment; housing; public health care, social security; education and training; equal participation in cultural activities; access to any public places and services).
Vietnam strictly prohibits all acts of discrimination, division, undermining the policy of national unity or inciting ethnic hatred. Acts of racial discrimination or supporting activities that cause division, discrimination and racial discrimination are strictly prohibited and severely punished by Vietnamese law (Penal Code, Civil Code, Law on Civil Servants, Law on Public Employees, Labor Law, Decree 88/2015/ND-CP...)
Other content
Pursuant to Article 9 of the CERD Convention and document HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6, from 2017 to 2020, the CERD 5 report was compiled by an inter-sectoral drafting committee consisting of ministries and sectors directly involved in ensuring, protecting and promoting human rights, with the Committee for Ethnic Minorities as the focal point for drafting the Report. In December 2020, Vietnam submitted its National Report on the implementation of the CERD Convention to the CERD Convention Committee.
[caption id="attachment_577525" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
Vietnam defends CERD 5 report.[/caption]The report was developed based on comments from central and local government agencies, National Assembly agencies, socio-political organizations, socio-professional organizations, non-governmental organizations and citizens via email and at a number of consultation workshops organized by the Ethnic Committee.
Vietnam's CERD 5 report focuses on two main contents. First, it affirms the consistent policy and guidelines of the Party and Government of Vietnam on ethnic minorities as clearly stated in Article 5 of the 2013 Constitution, which is completely consistent with the definition of anti-discrimination in Article 1 of the CERD Convention.
The report also shares Vietnam's achievements in ethnic work from 2013 to 2023, including many outstanding achievements in national solidarity work, supporting ethnic minorities in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, preserving and promoting traditional values, languages, and writings... helping the United Nations and international friends have a more comprehensive view of Vietnam.
The report affirms Vietnam's commitment to implementing the rights and obligations of a member state of the Convention through the achievements Vietnam has made in perfecting its legal system in accordance with international norms and standards and protecting universal values of human rights in general, and Vietnam's efforts in contributing to the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination and discrimination in particular.
PA
Comment (0)