On September 12th 2014, the project on Research and Education on Human Rights (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences” hold a scientific conference on “National Human Rights Institutions: Theoretical and Practical Issues”. The conference has the participation of many representatives from institutes of VASS, universities and various offices and department of Vietnam.
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Overview of the Conference |
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Prof. Dr. Vo Khanh Vinh – Deputy President of VASS, Project Director having speech at the conference |
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Having speech at the conference, Prof. Dr. Vo Khanh Vinh – Deputy President of VASS, Project Director of the project on Research and Education on Human Rights confirmed the meaning of discussion between scientists about theoretical and practical issues related to national human rights institutions in the development and integration of Vietnam. The prior issues of Conference are those related to international regulations on functions, responsibilities, and the relationship between these offices and government or governmental units. These will be a useful contribution to the policy advisory of project in next period.
Scientists discussed and reviewed the issues related to history, international regulations on national human rights institution. For them, national human rights institution is a governmental unit which is legally assigned to protect and promote the human rights through Constitution. This is a special and unique organization and is independent with any legislative, executive or judicial units.
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MA. Nguyen Linh Giang (in purple shirt) - Institute of State and Laws presenting her writing paper at the Conference |
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Dr. Nguyen Van Thuan, Former Chairman of the Law Committee – National Assembly presenting his writing paper at the Conference |
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MA. Nguyen Linh Giang (Institute of State and Law, VASS has discussed about the model of national human rights institutions. In fact, these national human rights institutions do not have a general model but each country has its own model through the name of institution, organizational structure, functions and responsibilities. Despite the models are different, all of them have two mutual targets: 1) To ensure the promotion of human rights through information activities and improve the awareness of public; 2) To directly participate and contribute ideas, to release reports and recommendations about policies related to national human rights.
According to MA. Nguyen Duc Chuyen from Center of Human Rights – Law University (Hochiminh city), the advantages of human rights’ promotion and protection are the ability to advise government to complete their international responsibilities of human rights and to ensure international obligations achieved the best implementation. Besides, this institution will play a connecting role to interact and exchange with objects of government, especially public, about strategies and policies to protect human rights, and encourage the talks as well as promote the collaboration.
Dr. Nguyen Van Thuan, the former chairman of Law Committee of National Assembly also delivered his ideas in the conference. For him, public create constitutions and assign governmental units to manage and organize the society. However, there is a trending of using these rights to abuse power and power corruption. First of all, the recognition, respect and protection of human rights should be the responsibility of legislative, executive or judicial units. They are, however, the objects who have violated the human rights, hence, the practice asked to diversify these units’ model together with the existing/ traditional model so that they can be a better control of power and activities of State.
Through the world experiences and practice, there is a question of should Vietnam have a national human rights institution? For scientists, it is necessary for Vietnam to have a human rights institution because: Firstly, the promotion and protection of human rights are not only national duty but also international obligation; Secondly, either Vietnam or other countries should solve more human rights issues at both national and international level; Thirdly, the establishment of a national human rights institution, which is in charge of specialized issues, is an additional mechanism together with national assembly, Government, People Court, , People’s Procuracy and other State offices to effectively implement the human rights in Vietnam.
Pham Vinh Ha
