Ambassador Duong Chi Dung

The Vietnamese delegation to the conference was led by Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, Head of the Vietnam’s Permanent Delegation at the United Nations.

During the three weeks, the UNHRC discussed many issues of human rights such as the right to have access to clean water and sanitation, the impact of unilateral sanctions on human rights, and modern forms of slavery, among others.

The Council reviewed the human rights situation in several countries such as Myanmar, Syria, Yemen ... and discussed measures to enhance technical support for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Lybia, Somalia, Sudan, Central African Republic…

The discussion on the impact of unilateral sanctions on human rights and the supplementation of gender equality approaches into the activities of the UNHRC and its subordinate mechanisms was also organized within the framework of the 42nd session.

As usual, the Council adopted the periodic review report of the 14 countries under the 3rd Review Period, including Norway, Albania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Portugal, Bhutan, Dominica, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Brunei, Costa Rica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Qatar and Nicaragua.

Of the 37 resolutions issued at the session, 25 were passed by consensus, including the Resolution on the rights of the elderly, the right to health and social security, the Resolution of the World Human Rights Education Program and the Resolution on Privacy in the Digital Age.

In addition, the UNHRC passed by voting 12 resolutions, notably the Resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Venezuela, Yemen, Syria, the Resolution on the staffs of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Resolution on promoting balanced international order, democracy, Resolution on death penalty ...

At the session, the Vietnamese delegation actively contributed to the development of the draft resolutions, participating in co-sponsoring many initiatives, including the resolution on development rights and the resolution to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration on women's rights, resolution on technical assistance in the field of human rights and resolution on social security.

The Vietnamese delegation continued to fully and actively participate in and contribute substantially to the session, protect the interests and consistent views of Vietnam in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, and contribute to ensuring the operation of the UNHRC to be compatible with the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law.

Vietnam actively contributes to drafting resolutions and co-sponsoring many initiatives.

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reaffirmed the priority to promote human rights in the context of climate change, saying that the world has never faced such a big challenge as today.

Climate change is a factor that promotes hunger, migration, exacerbates conflicts, affects economic development and increases inequality, social stress ... Climate change has a strong impact on the enjoyment of the rights of all people, especially women and vulnerable groups, in all countries and regions. This is a problem that no single country can solve but needs cooperation of all countries and partners, through strong commitments and measures to use natural resources in a creative manner.

The UN Human Rights Council can play an important role in dealing with climate change. The five points that can guide the council's actions include: being fully aware of climate change's negative impact on the enjoyment of rights, development and peace; encouraging the wide and active participation of different stakeholders, especially vulnerable groups, those who are directly affected by climate change such as women and indigenous people; protecting environmental activists, including through working with UN agencies on the environment, promoting inter-regional initiatives on this issue;

Increasing support for small island nations, which are most affected by climate change, in their efforts to adapt to climate change, including integrating human rights in countries' climate change agendas; mobilizing the participation of businesses, through voluntary corporate commitments, as well as developing national business plans and human rights to regulate businesses' activities.

Tran Hang