Official: Vietnam’s human rights achievements undeniable

In an interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency in Paris on the occasion of Vietnam’s run for a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure, Archambault said ensuring human rights is one of the achievements in Vietnam’s renovation.

He recalled that in 1975, Vietnam was a war-hit and poor country under embargo. But in 2010, it became a middle-income country thanks to considerable strides during renovation period that began in 1986. Vietnam has so far been moving forward and entering a new development period toward a rich, strong, democratic and modern country, he said.

The official stressed that in its development policy, the Vietnamese Government always gives priority to helping the poor, especially Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

He lauded relevant Vietnamese agencies for paying attention to gender equality and ensuring rights of vulnerable groups like the elderly, women, children and the disabled. Vietnam has also actively joined the United Nations’ conventions to protect them.

According to him, the role of the Vietnamese women has changed, evidenced by the election of many female deputies to the National Assembly.

About the Vietnamese Party and State’s efforts to ensure human rights in the motto “Leaving no one behind”, Archambault emphasised that Vietnam’s effective anti-COVID-19 strategy has been welcomed by the World Health Organisation and foreign media. The Vietnamese Party, State and Government offered free medical care and vaccination to citizens, as well as gave support to disadvantaged firms and people.

As regards Vietnam’s contributions to international community in human rights, he stressed that the country has done a good job of ensuring the right to peace, national independence and the right to live. Over the past years, Vietnam has also actively joined humanitarian activities at the UN Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan which has been hailed by the UN and international community.