Enhancing the protection of human rights: Workshop on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
WVR - On January 6, in Quang Ninh, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a workshop to introduce the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).
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| Delegates attending the workshop introducing the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Leuternant Colonel Dao Anh Toi, Deputy Director of the Department of Legal Affairs and Administrative, Judicial Reform, and Colonel Tran Viet Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Public Security) co-chaired the workshop.
The workshop was attended by representatives from functional units of the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuracy; representatives from the Police, People's Procuracy, People's Court; Military Command of six provinces: Quang Ninh, Lang Son, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Tuyen Quang; representatives from the People's Security Academy, People's Police Academy, Institute of Human Rights – Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics; Institute of State and Law, Institute of Ethnic and Religious Studies, Institute of Leadership and Public Administration, Hanoi Law University, Faculty of Law, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
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| Overview of the workshop. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Internationally, the workshop was attended by Ms. Federica Dispenza, Assistant Resident Representative, Head of Governance and Participation, UNDP representative in Vietnam; international experts from the United Nations and several countries that have ratified the ICPPED.
In his opening remarks, Colonel Tran Viet Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, stated that the ICPPED is one of the important UN conventions on human rights, adopted on December 20, 2006, and officially effective from December 23, 2010. To date, the Convention has 77 member countries and 98 signatories that have yet to ratify it.
On June 27, 2014, Vietnam declared acceptance of 182 out of 227 recommendations, including the recommendation to explore the possibility of joining the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
In practice, Vietnam has joined 7 out of 9 core human rights conventions and has seriously implemented the accepted recommendations under the UPR of the United Nations Human Rights Council, including the recommendation to explore the possibility of joining the ICPPED.
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| Colonel Tran Viet Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, delivers the opening speech at the workshop. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The ICPPED holds significant importance in preventing enforced disappearances, determining state responsibility, and establishing an international monitoring mechanism (CPED Committee) with a strong assertion that there are no exceptions to the prohibition of enforced disappearances.
According to Colonel Tran Viet Trung, exploring the possibility of joining the ICPPED is significant in various aspects, including political, diplomatic, legal, and social dimensions.
“This is not only a gesture of cooperation, a spirit of openness, and Vietnam's effort to seriously fulfill international commitments and UPR commitments but also Vietnam's determination to better promote and ensure human rights, thereby enhancing Vietnam's reputation and position on the international stage,” emphasized the leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security.
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| Delegates attending the workshop. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Therefore, the Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs believes that the workshop will be an opportunity to comprehensively introduce the content of the ICPPED, with support and experience sharing from international experts.
The leadership of the Department of Foreign Affairs hopes that delegates will actively exchange, discuss, ask questions, and share perspectives with experts, thereby clarifying related legal and practical issues; contributing to raising awareness and understanding of the Convention.
From the UNDP side, Ms. Federica Dispenza, Assistant Resident Representative, Head of Governance and Participation, UNDP representative in Vietnam, stated that the workshop represents a positive and constructive step in Vietnam's ongoing engagement with the international human rights system.
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| Ms. Federica Dispenza, Assistant Resident Representative, Head of Governance and Participation, UNDP representative in Vietnam, assesses that by ratifying 7 out of 9 core human rights conventions, the Vietnamese Government has accumulated significant experience in harmonizing domestic legal frameworks and policies with global commitments. (Photo: Nguyễn Hồng) |
Ms. Federica Dispenza noted that in recent years, Vietnam has shown increasing openness to dialogue, cooperation, and shared learning. By ratifying 7 out of 9 core human rights conventions, the Vietnamese Government has gained significant experience in aligning domestic legal frameworks and policies with global commitments.
The organization of the workshop is “both timely and forward-looking,” Ms. Federica Dispenza remarked, reflecting a genuine interest in understanding the Convention's content and learning from the diverse approaches other countries have adopted.
The UNDP representative also noted that this approach aligns closely with Vietnam's recent voluntary commitments as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly the commitment to enhance dialogue and cooperation on human rights with all countries and international partners, as well as the commitment to promote dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding among nations and stakeholders, based on respect for independence, sovereignty, equality, and mutual benefit.
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| Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Provincial Police, Colonel Nguyen Thuen, believes the workshop will be a valuable practical forum, helping to raise awareness among ministries, departments, and localities. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Provincial Police, Colonel Nguyen Thuan, expressed his pleasure that Quang Ninh was chosen by the Ministry of Public Security and UNDP as the venue to introduce the ICPPED.
The leadership of Quang Ninh Provincial Police is confident that with the participation of international experts in this field and the heartfelt exchanges of the delegates, this will be a valuable practical forum, helping to raise awareness among ministries, departments, and localities, providing a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the Convention and its implementation worldwide, thereby contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of human rights protection in Vietnam in the future.
At the workshop, delegates will provide comprehensive and objective information about the content, purpose, significance, and obligations stipulated by the Convention, while exchanging and referencing international experiences, thereby supporting Vietnam in the process of researching and considering the possibility of joining the Convention in conditions suitable to Vietnam's current realities.
