Viet Nam commits to observe Int'l Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Tran Chi Mai, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs made the above statement at a conference held by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Ha Noi on November 23 to provide monthly updates about human rights and external information affairs as Viet Nam is going to defend its fifth national report on the implementation of the CERD at a session in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 29 – 30.

The report briefs Viet Nam’ts achievements in human rights protection along with the Party and State’s viewpoints and policies on ethnic minorities and foreigners in Viet Nam.

It covers legislative, administrative and judicial measures and the implementation results of those measures taken during 2013 - 2019 to protect human rights and fight acts of racial discrimination against ethnic minority people and foreigners in Viet Nam.

The report also presents the country’s achievements in protecting human rights for ethnic minorities and foreigners, points out difficulties and advantages in the CERD implementation during the reviewed period, and identifies implementation orientations for the time ahead.

The Vietnamese Party and Government’s consistent viewpoint and policy on ethnic minority groups as enshrined in Article 5 of the 2013 Constitution completely match Article 1 on racial discrimination prevention in the CERD.

The report shares the country’s attainments in ethnic minority affairs since 2013.

During 2013 - 2019, Viet Nam obtained many remarkable results in promoting the great national solidarity and assisting ethnic minority groups in socioeconomic development, poverty reduction, and preservation of their traditional values, languages, and scripts.

Viet Nam is home to 54 ethnic minority groups, in which the Kinh takes up the largest number with 85.3 percent and others account for 14.7 percent./.