Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a national conference on human rights education on December 11 with the online participation of leaders of all 63 centrally-run and provinces across the country.

The event was held in response to the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on August 19, 2024, and the 76th International Human Rights Day (December 10).

PM Chinh emphasised the significance of the conference, noting that it sent out a strong message about Vietnam’s commitment to human rights protection and education, and affirmed Vietnam’s policies and efforts towards ensuring human rights for all.

The Government leader highlighted that the protection of human rights and education on the issue is one of the core tenets of the Ho Chi Minh ideology and a cornerstone principle guiding all policies of the Party and the Constitution and laws of the Vietnamese State. He cited the 13th National Party Congress’s Resolution, which affirmed that the people are the centre and the subject of the cause of Doi Moi, national construction and defence, and every policy must take the happiness and prosperity of the people as the goal. A recent article penned by Party General Secretary To Lam also clarified the need to not allowing some legal regulations to hinder the exercise of human rights and citizen rights as well as socio-economic development.

Following this guideline, the Government has issued and implemented many programmes, plans, resolutions and conclusions on human rights, including a project to integrate human rights education into the national education system, he said.

The PM underlined that Vietnam has made considerable strides in ensuring human rights, with tangible improvements in citizens’ material and spiritual well-being. According to the UNDP Human Development Report, Vietnam’s Human Development Index (HDI) advanced eight places in 2024 from 115th to 107th position out of 193 countries. Similarly, Vietnam’s happiness index rose 11 places, ranking 54th out of 143 countries, and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) index improved by one place to 54th out of 166 countries. Vietnam is now an active member of the UN Human Rights Council in the 2023-2025 tenure, he added.

The leader also pointed to the Government’s proactive approach in tackling challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, underscoring that the Party and State’s ultimate goal is to ensure independence and freedom of the nation and happiness for all citizens.

Underlining that human rights protection and education in the responsibility of all people, a comprehensive and inclusive task of the entire political system under the leadership of the Party, the management of the State, and with the people playing the mastery role. It is an official programme in the framework of Vietnam's education system, in which "students are the core, teachers are the driving force, and schools are the foundation", within a learning society that promotes lifelong learning.

The PM emphasised the importance of human rights education, which holds strategic significance for the comprehensive development of Vietnamese socialist citizens and the building of a socialist rule-of-law State. He required ministries, agencies, and local authorities to continue effectively implementing the Party's policies, mechanisms, and the State's laws and regulations on ensuring human rights, fully institutionalise and enforce human rights-related content of the 2013 Constitution.

He urged continued reforms and improvement of social policies in the spirit of putting the people at the centre, as the key subjects of these policies. He stressed the need for the enhanced role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other political-social organisations in monitoring and promoting the respect for and protection of human rights across society.

The leader also underlined the need for Vietnam to engage responsibly in promoting dialogue and cooperation within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council to address common concerns regarding human rights and humanitarian issues.

The PM assigned specific tasks to ministries, sectors and localities, aiming to effectively implement the scheme to make human rights education part of the national education system.

The conference reviewed the outcomes and shortcomings in the implementation of the project to integrate human rights education into the national education system which was launched in 2017. Under the project, many training courses in human rights have been held for experts, lecturers and teachers, and textbooks and reference books have been compiled for use in teaching and learning.

As a result, lecturers and learners in educational and training establishments have been equipped with knowledge and skills related to human rights, thus enhancing their awareness as well as public understanding about the matter, contributing to countering wrong allegations and distorted information on human rights in Vietnam.

Participants pointed to some existing problems during the implementation process, including the slow pace of work, a lack of guidance and limited budget for project activities✅./.