UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis (Photo: VNA) Inher article titled “Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All” on the occasion ofHuman Rights Day (December 10), Tamesis quoted the first line of the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says “Whereas recognition of theinherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of thehuman family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”
“Inone sentence, it encapsulates the principles and values that we, as a humanfamily have promised to uphold and fulfil 74 years ago. It is a powerfulreminder of the proclamation made by the United Nations General Assembly on thisvery day in 1948,” she wrote.
Tamesissaid 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s membership to the UN, citing UNSecretary General Antonio Guterres as saying during his recent visit that upholding human rights in all itsdimensions, remain vital to the next chapter of Vietnam’s development successstory.
Shepointed out that the world today continues to face a multitude of challenges, frompandemics to conflicts to climate change.
Vietnamhas not been spared from impact of global crises, she said, adding that whilethe country is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it needs at thesame time to cope with the increasing food and energy prices from the falloutof the war in Ukraine, while battling natural disasters and impact of climatechange. Unfortunately, the poor and those least capable to overcome theseshocks disproportionately bear the brunt of these crises.
Accordingto the UN official, the climate crisis exacerbates vulnerabilities faced byethnic minority groups. Drought, heatwaves and flooding lead to climate change-induced insecurity. Smallholderagriculture, particularly poor, ethnic minority and women farmers are ultimatelythe most severely impacted.
Shesaid all these development challenges threaten dignity and equality in rights,including health, food, education, an adequate standard of living, socialassistance, and even to life itself.
“Therealities that vulnerable individuals and communities face in their lives andlivelihoods serve as a reminder and push for our continued action to integratehuman rights in all development priorities – from climate action, to labour andsocial protection, to economic transformation – and put people at the centre ofdevelopment,” Tamesis wrote.
Shenoted that Vietnam’selection to the UNHRC for the period 2023-2025 presents a great responsibilitybut also an important opportunity to redouble efforts in protecting andpromoting economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights in line withinternational human rights standards.
Among Vietnam’s pledges as part of its election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), it is encouraging that the country prioritised upholding its commitments and obligations under the international human rights treaties, of which Vietnam has ratified seven out of nine, strengtheningeducation on human rights, and addressing the impacts of climate change on theenjoyment of human rights, with particular attention on the rights ofvulnerable groups, she wrote.
AsVietnam commences its membership to the council, it would be critical totranslate these commitments into concrete actions, and to demonstrate even strongerevidence of the protection and promotion of human rights, she suggested.
TheUN, as a proud and long-standing partner of Vietnam over the past 45 years,will continue to work closely with the Vietnamese Government, developmentpartners and civil society, to keep human rights at the centre of alldevelopment efforts, she pledged.
“Renewedcollaboration and cooperation, including meaningful inclusion and participationof diverse non-government actors and communities, will be crucial for promotingthe vibrant dialogue needed to help Vietnam progress on a broad range of humanrights,” Tamesis said.
“Together,we can fulfil the promise of a human family that upholds dignity, freedom andjustice for all”./.
VNA
