By 
Anna Pelizzari
Siavosh Hosseini, December 30th, 2019
Vietnam will engage in a dialogue with the United Nations Human Rights Committee on July 7th-8th in Switzerland. The country is reaffirming its commitment to the ICCPR and discussing central issues concerning its national implementation, including judicial reforms, climate resilience, and promotion of the right to self-determination.
On July 7th-8th, Vietnam will hold a dialogue with the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) in Switzerland to discuss human rights issues and present five central themes. These key points had already been briefly introduced by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at a press conference in Hanoi on June 30th, where the country emphasised its willingness to double down on its commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), joined in 1982.
The responsibility for ICCPR compliance was initially a competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which submitted reports in 1989 and 2001, and shifted to the Ministry of Justice in 2014 to better align with domestic legal reforms. Since then, the Ministry has collaborated with other ministries and agencies to accelerate the work and to prepare periodic reports.
The five subjects are centered around supporting the effective implementation of the ICCPR into the national system. Firstly, Vietnam reaffirmed the importance of the right to self-determination and the promotion of peaceful international relations. It added that it seeks to continue prioritising human rights by reviewing the current implementation of the ICCPR and addressing the UNHRC recommendations of 2019. It highlighted progress in the area of judicial reform, notably having removed the death penalty for certain offences, adopting a Juvenile Justice Law, and revising human trafficking laws. Finally, Vietnam is dedicated to fighting climate change by enhancing climate resilience for vulnerable groups.
Sources and further readings:
Vietnam to present five key messages at human rights dialogue in Switzerland
