Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has implemented 175 out of the 182 recommendations by the UNHuman Rights Council’s (UNHRC) second-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR)which it accepted in June 2014, heard a workshop in Hanoi on December 3.

According to Vietnam’sthird-cycle UPR national report announced at the workshop, the realisation ofthe recommendations has exerted positive impacts across all aspects of society inVietnam, especially in building human rights-related laws, ensuring socialwelfare, improving people’s living standards, and promoting cooperation anddialogues on human rights at regional and international levels.

Since the 2014 UPR,Vietnam’s development achievements have been acknowledged by the internationalcommunity, including its ahead-of-schedule completion of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) and the initial results of the implementation of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Vietnam’s per capitaincome has increased continuously and the income of poor households has risenfrom between 15-20 percent. Meanwhile, the multi-dimensional poverty ratedropped from 9.88 percent in 2015 to 7.69 percent last year.

Vietnam is one ofthe countries worldwide witnessing the fastest internet development pace, withmore than 50 million internet users, the report said.

The report alsopointed out challenges and limitations regarding the legal framework, resources,and policies to promote and ensure human rights in Vietnam, especially those ofdisadvantaged groups.

It also proposedpriorities to the Vietnamese Government in the time ahead in order to ensure eachresident’s improved access to fundamental rights and freedom.

Addressing theevent, Caitlin Wiesen, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) CountryDirector for Vietnam, stressed the special significance of the implementationof the mechanisms to the UPR Working Group slated for January 2019.

The UNDP willcontinue to coordinate closely with the Vietnamese Government to materialise mechanisms,thus contributing to better ensuring and promoting human rights in the country,she pledged.

The third-cycle UPRnational report, approved by the Prime Minister on October 17, 2018 andsubmitted to the UNHRC on October 22, 2018, was completed with theparticipation of 18 relevant Vietnamese ministries and agencies, said DangHoang Giang, chief of the foreign ministry office.

The UPR is an inter-governmental mechanism of the UN Human RightsCouncil, aimed at reviewing issues related to the human rights of all UN membercountries. Vietnam first implemented the UPR in May 2009. –VNA