Vietnam, UN launch joint human rights project

A key project to help Vietnam meet its human rights obligations was launched here on Tuesday. Over the next three and half years, the 1.2 million U.S. dollar joint project between Vietnamese government and the United Nations will help ministries understand their human rights duties and improve the ability to report on progress. In recent years the Vietnamese government has visibly increased its commitment to address human rights issues, as demonstrated in a number of legal and judicial reforms, and constitutional revisions that have steadily improved human and citizen rights. Vietnam is also increasing its participation in regional and international human rights mechanisms, becoming party to five core international human rights treaties, signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), said the UN Development Program (UNDP) Vietnam on its website. The project will help strengthen Vietnam's awareness and capacity of implementing human rights obligations, and improve engagement with regional and international human rights mechanisms with activities related to the ratification of the CRPD. Hoang Chi Trung, Director General of the Department of International Organizations under Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to implement its international obligations and to ensure better enjoyment of human rights and citizen rights for all Vietnamese people. He hoped that the project would assist relevant Vietnamese agencies in better implementing their respective responsibilities in this field. Speaking at the project launching ceremony, Louise Chamberlain, UNDP Country Director, highlighted the need to identify challenges still faced in certain human rights areas and hoped that the project, with its technical support, will identify ways and means to address them.