Impacts of climate change on the enjoyment of rights of vulnerable groups were discussed at a workshop recently held in Hanoi, VNA reported.

Do Hung Viet, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the discussion on the connection between climate change and human rights is imperative since the rights of the vulnerable groups are highly affected by the impact of climate change. Source: VNT

Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this initiative demonstrates Vietnam’s dedication to address the adverse impacts of climate change, especially on vulnerable groups and provides platform to advance cooperation with relevant stakeholders.

Representative from the embassies together with Vietnam’s Government agencies, United Nations bodies, development partners, NGOs, research institutes and diplomatic corps participated in this workshop.

During the opening remarks, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet underlined that climate change and devastating extreme weather conditions have posed adverse, direct and deep impacts on people’s full enjoyment of rights, especially among vulnerable groups.

As one of the countries that have been hardest hit by climate change, with the motto of placing people at the centre, Vietnam has paid special attention to ensuring human rights during climate change response, focusing on institutionalising the contents of relevant international treaties to which Vietnam is a signatory, said Hung, who is also director of the Department of International Organisations.

He added that Vietnam has joined key groups in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in promoting annual resolutions related to climate change and human rights, especially among vulnerable groups. This was a priority of Vietnam at the council in the recent past, especially when the country is running for a seat in the council in the 2023-2025 tenure, said Viet.

He highlighted Vietnam’s determination and efforts in settling the negative impacts of climate change and promoting international cooperation in the field through realizing commitments made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and implementing commitments of international conventions that Vietnam has joined.

Viet also affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policies on protecting and promoting human rights and the country’s endeavors in realizing commitments to fundamental freedom rights, including the right to participation and information, transparency, accountability, equality, and non-discrimination in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

A resolution that focuses on the realization of the rights to food and climate change, drafted by Vietnam in coordination with Bangladesh and the Philippines has been adopted at the 50th regular session of the UNHRC.

For her part, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis hailed Vietnam’s commitments and efforts in observing and promoting human rights amid climate change, including the net-zero emission commitment, and promises given while running for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council.

The UN agencies in Vietnam are willing to assist the country in realizing the commitments, she stressed.

Tamesis pointed to three factors that need to be focused on, including an approach to climate change on the basis of putting human rights at the center of solutions, the engagement of all social classes in the work, and the education of human rights in all development areas.

Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. Source: VNT

Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, welcomed Vietnam's determination to realize the dual goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, during which the people have always been put at the center and human rights are ensured.

She stressed the need to listen to the voice of the most vulnerable groups, which is an important factor in implementing climate change adaptation activities at the local level.

Wignaraja affirmed that the UNDP is committed to strongly supporting the Vietnamese Government in developing policies on adaptation and response to climate change and environmental policies in line with international standards on human rights.

At the workshop, ambassadors of countries and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam shared experiences and good practices in responding to climate change and ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups, as well as their views on the matter and recommendations in the field.

Representatives of many ministries, branches, and organizations of Vietnam such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, the Institute of Human Rights - Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Research Institute for Climate Change - Can Tho University, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) and local delegates also introduced updates on the topic of climate change. Vietnam's policies, policies, commitments, efforts as well as challenges and cooperation needs in addressing climate change and ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups.

This workshop is also timely since Vietnam has announced its candidacy for the position of member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the term 2023-2025.

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