Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam has contributed to awide range of international and regional initiatives on human rights and otherissues, including efforts to respond to global challenges, according to DeputyForeign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc.

He made the remark while delivering a speech ata meeting of the 34th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 28.

The session was attended by UN Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly in the 71st sessionPeter Thomson, and representatives of more than 110 countries and internationalorganisations.

In his address, Ngoc underlined his country’spriorities and initiatives at the UNHRC, including the co-sponsorship of aresolution on climate change and children’s rights, and a series of eventsrelating to vulnerable groups, from the way to create an enabling workingenvironment for disabled people to ensuring the rights of people working atsea, and enhancing education in combating trafficking of women and girls.

Vietnam will continue efforts to “make the UNHRCan effective body in their noble mission of building a better planet foreveryone,” he stressed.

Talking about challenges to Vietnamese people’srights, he said: “This is the challenge of successfully restructuring oureconomy and reforming growth model while ensuring that every Vietnamese canenjoy the fruits of development and human rights in all aspects.”

The official noted that Vietnam continued legalreforms by passing legislation on human rights last year, carried out anational plan to implement the accepted Universal Periodic Review recommendations,and adopted plans on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment and the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

Efforts have also been made to assist people inareas affected by natural disasters, as well as to build long-term measures topreserve environmental sustainability, he added. 

Vietnam and other ASEAN members are building apeople-centred ASEAN Community, making the bloc a region of peace, stability,development and cooperation, Ngoc said.

He asked the UNHRC to encourage more discussionson issues affecting people’s daily lives, which are the rights to food,adequate housing, decent work, right to health and education, to name a few,while ensuring ties between the protection of human rights, the promotion ofdevelopment, and the maintenance of peace and security and respect forinternational law.

The UNHRC and the UN should promote the role ofmultilateralism, dialogue and cooperation in dealing with human rights issuesand global challenges, he added.  

At a panel discussion on February 27, the DeputyForeign Minister called on the UN’s development system to support countries inensuring the rights of vulnerable groups in peace building processes.

He said: “Vietnam stands ready to share ourpost-war experiences in rebuilding the country while ensuring the needs of ourpeople.”

On the sidelines of the UNHRC’s 34th session,Deputy Foreign Minister Ngoc had a working session on gender equality with theAustralian Minister for International Development and the Pacific and met withthe Foreign Minister of Georgia, the UK Minister for Asia and the Pacific, theUruguayan Deputy Foreign Minister, and the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister.

At the meetings, the politicians discussedbilateral cooperation, especially in economy, trade and investment, along withglobal and regional issues of shared concern.

The Vietnamese side also detailed the East Seasituation, emphasising the principle of not using or threatening to use force,resolving disputes peacefully on the basis of international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and fully respecting diplomatic andlegal processes.

Participating officials expressed the wish tostrengthen ties with Vietnam and echoed the country’s viewpoint in settlingregional disputes, including the East Sea issue.-VNA