Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s success in winning aseat at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2023-2025tenure demonstrates the country’s continuously consolidated and heightenedposition and reputation in the international arena, Deputy Minister of ForeignAffairs Pham Quang Hieu has said.

Hieu told the press right after the election resultwas announced at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York onOctober 11 that this also reflects the international community’sacknowledgement of human rights achievements Vietnam has recorded.

It is also an outcome of the close leadership anddirect engagement of high-ranking leaders, as well as efforts of the entirepolitical system, including press agencies, in protecting and promoting humanrights in Vietnam, said the head of the Vietnamese delegation.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, PermanentRepresentative of Vietnam to the UN, also stressed the significance of the UNHRCand high competitiveness among the candidates, especially those from Asia-Pacific.

With the message of “Mutual Respect. Dialogue andCooperation. Ensuring All Human Rights, for All” for its three-year membership at the council, Vietnam will directly contribute to protecting and promoting humanrights worldwide – one of the three main tasks of the UN, he affirmed.

Vietnam will promote priorities identified throughdialogue and cooperation, especially the protection of vulnerable groups andthe guarantee of human rights in response to global issues, Giang continued.

Such moves will contribute to addressing sharedconcerns and urgent issues facing humankind, while opening up opportunities forVietnam to exchange experience and pool international support to helpVietnamese people better enjoy human rights and citizens’ rights, according tothe ambassador.

The council is an inter-governmental body within theUN system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of humanrights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rightsviolations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss allthematic human rights issues and situations that require its attentionthroughout the year.

The council is made up of 47 UN member states whichare elected by the UN General Assembly.

Vietnam has always actively and responsibly participatedin activities of UNHRC since the council was established in 2006. This is thesecond time it has been elected to the council, with the first being in 2013 for the 2014-2016 tenure.

Vietnam’s successful fulfillment of the UNHRCmembership in the 2014-2016 term has contributed to protecting nationalinterests and improved its international position and reputation.

The country has joined the HRC Core Group on HumanRights and Climate Change and proposed a number of resolutions on climatechange impacts on vulnerable groups, which were approved by the council.

Vietnam was also the co-author and co-sponsor oftens of the council’s resolutions during the period, focusing on rights ineconomy, social affairs and culture, the protection of vulnerable groups,gender equality and discrimination combat, among other issues.

The country acted as a bridge promoting cooperation anddialogue between countries and groups of nations in order to accelerate theUNHRC’s fair, progressive approach towards people in such areas as reproductivehealth, the fight against violence against women, and gender-based violence.

Vietnam promoted dialogues within the framework ofthe UNHRC, between relevant countries, regional organisations and UN mechanismson human rights to address specific concern on human rights and humanitarianissues.

The above-said contents will continue to be theSoutheast Asian country’s priorities in the 2023-2025 term./.