DECISION

APPROVING THE SCHEME FOR COMMUNICATING HUMAN RIGHTS IN VIETNAM

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to Law on Governmental Organization dated June 19, 2015; Law on amendments to Law on Government Organization and Law on Local Governmental Organization dated November 22, 2019;

Pursuant to Law on Treaties dated April 09, 2016;

Pursuant to Law on Journalism dated April 5, 2016;

Pursuant to the Law on Information Access dated April 6, 2016;

Pursuant to Decree No. 72/2015/ND-CP dated September 7, 2015 of the Government on management of foreign affair communications;

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Pursuant to Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019 of Politburo on policies on active participation in the Fourth industrial revolution;

At request of Minister of Information and Communications.

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. Approving the Scheme for communicating human rights in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as “Scheme”) for the period of 2023 - 2028 as follows:

I. PRINCIPLES

1. Adequately understanding human rights and policies, regulations of the Communist Party and Government regarding human rights is the prerequisite for effectively protecting and promoting human rights. Communicating human rights must be implemented on a regular, uninterrupted, and diverse basis to allow people from all social strata to understand and strictly comply with regulations on human rights; criticize incorrect opinions and reasoning regarding human rights.

2. Communicating human rights is a political task and common responsibility of the entire political system now and in the long run. Result of communicating human rights serves as an objective criterion for assessing effectiveness of human rights communication activities of governments of all levels. Attaining good results in ensuring and promoting human rights is a decisive requirement to warrant effective human rights communication.

3. Human rights communication must be implemented on all 3 fronts: educating human rights; publicizing efforts and achievements in ensuring human rights; clarifying and defying incorrect information regarding human rights in Vietnam. In which, prioritize exploiting advantages of media on digital platforms to provide transparent information for the general public in and out of Vietnam regarding efforts and achievements regarding human rights assurance of Vietnam's Government.

II. OBJECTIVES

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Communicate human rights to create a shift in awareness and understanding of society regarding human rights; adequately communicate to allow the general public in and out of Vietnam and international friends to understand principles, policies, efforts, and results attained during human rights protection and promotion in Vietnam; improve Vietnam’s credibility in the field of human rights in Vietnam, in the region, and worldwide.

2. Specific objectives until 2028

- 100% state authorities making statements and providing information for the press on a regular basis regarding human rights adhere to the laws to promptly communicate implementation and implementation results of human rights activities and match efforts and achievements in ensuring human rights of the authorities and of the entire country as a whole.

- 100% officials engaging in human rights activities, 100% officials managing information, media, 100% personnel engaging in foreign affair communication of press agencies, 70% key officials of central and provincial socio-political organizations receive update on circumstances of human rights activities in Vietnam and receive training for media knowledge and skills regarding human rights.

- Organize galleries and exhibits for images and documents regarding human rights in Vietnam in Vietnamese and foreign languages in 63 provinces and cities and strategic locations in foreign countries.

- Compose, publish, and reprint 1.000 titles regarding human rights; diversify forms of mass media, increase the proportion of media products in ethnic minority languages, foreign languages, and media products on digital platforms to around 15% to 20% of total media products regarding human rights.

- 100% data sources and media products of the Scheme are digitalized, connected, shared, and popularized on cyberspace. Cut down false, incorrect information, misinformation violating human rights on cyberspace to less than 10% of total information on human rights in Vietnam; discover and deal with 90% false information and misinformation violating human rights on cyberspace.

- Regarding diplomacy: fulfill international recommendations regarding increasing media and raising awareness about human rights approved by the Vietnamese Government, including advise No. 64, 67, and 86 following Universal periodic review (UPR) method of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

III. SCHEME TARGET AND SCOPE

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- Officials engaging in human rights, communication, foreign affair information, mobilization of central and local general public in Vietnam and Vietnam’s representative missions in foreign countries.

- Classes of people, religious communities, ethnic groups, especially intelligentsia, religious officials, reputable persons in ethnic minority communities, youths, students, learners, reputable and influential persons on the internet.

- Press and media in Vietnam and around the world.

- Overseas Vietnamese; Vietnamese students, learners, and researchers currently studying abroad.

- Foreign affair representative missions of other countries, representative offices of international organizations, regional organizations and international press, media companies in Vietnam, foreign NGOs operating in Vietnam, foreign-invested enterprises, and foreign communities in Vietnam.

- Reputable politicians, socio-political organizations, civil organizations of countries, international organizations, regional organizations, and NGOs in the field of human rights, especially organizations that are friendly towards Vietnam.

2. Scope of the Scheme

- In Vietnam: across 63 provinces and cities.

- In other countries: choose and organize communication directly and online towards locations packed with overseas Vietnamese; locations prioritized for diplomacy relationship development by the Communist Party and the Government; head offices of international human rights agencies such as: New York (United States), Geneva (Switzerland), Bangkok (Thailand), etc.

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1. International regulations on human rights, which pay special attention to the 7 primary International treaties on human rights to which Vietnam is a signatory, including: (1) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; (2) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (3) Convention of the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women; (4) International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; (5) Convention on the Rights of the Child; (6) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; (7) Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or other Degrading Treatment of Punishment; international experiences regarding human rights assurance and promotion.

2. Regulations of Communist Party and laws of Vietnamese Government regarding human rights; results of localizing and implementing international commitments regarding human rights, bilateral and multilateral international commitments to which Vietnam is a signatory or is about to be a signatory.

3. Situation, efforts, and achievements in ensuring human rights in various fields, including poverty and hunger reduction, caring for people’s lives and vulnerable individuals; positive assessment and acknowledgement of international media regarding human rights assurance and development in Vietnam. Positive information highlighting moral value, lifestyle, unity, nationalism, and patriotism.

4. Cases and individuals in Vietnam and other countries, instances of exploiting freedom, democracy, human rights to violate regulations and law, infringe legal rights and benefits of organizations, individuals, national security, social safety and order, Vietnam’s images and international credibility.

5. Priorities in foreign affairs regarding human rights of Vietnam; positions, roles, ideas, and contribution of Vietnam in efforts and achievements in ensuring human rights regionally and internationally.

V. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS FOR SCHEME IMPLEMENTATION

1. Improve regulations and documents guiding management of the Scheme

Develop plans, programs, and solutions for improving effectiveness in communicating human rights; effectively implement interdisciplinary cooperation in directing and organizing implementation of the Scheme, to be specific:

a) Guide the plan for implementation of the Scheme.

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c) Research and develop documents on storage of Scheme products and media products using state budget; procedures for re-utilizing media programs and products of the Scheme.

d) Develop and organize implementation of documents guiding annual human rights communication.

2. Provide training regarding human rights communication knowledge and skills for communication entities.

a) Continue to maintain monthly Conference for press release of human rights activities.

b) Improve quality and effectiveness of training sessions, seminars, conferences with experts to improve knowledge, skills, and communication profession regarding human rights for journalists and editors of press, communication, publishing agencies, foreign affair officials, internal affair officials in central and local governments; member officials of Steering Committees on human rights of provinces and central-affiliated cities and managerial officials of all levels; law rapporteurs; rapporteurs who are officials of socio-political organizations affiliated to the Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and unions of all levels.

c) Develop programs and documents on human rights communication for use among all ministries, departments, and local governments.

d) Increase number of field trips organized for journalists to write articles regarding communication contents set forth under the Scheme.

3. Manufacture and upload human rights communication products in Vietnamese and foreign languages

a) Promote development and utilization of accounts and information channels on multilingual and multichannel social networks, aim towards target market to spread information and expand target audience, especially the youths. Connect, increase private sector involvement, mobilize and invite influential characters in online community to participate in human rights communication campaigns.

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c) Manufacture and popularize multimedia publishing products in Vietnamese and foreign languages, prioritize products that are presented in a new style and provide new, accessible, and viral perspective; electronic books that allow QR scanning and can be uploaded on online applications.

d) Continue to develop media products pertaining to human rights depending on local conditions and broadcast on district-level, commune-level radio system, electronic billboards, local communication stations, and other forms of communication (audio reportage, radio drama, videos, etc.). Organize mobile communication in form of exhibitions of paintings, documentary images, and propaganda posters relating to human rights.

dd) Promote human rights communication in extracurricular activities, meetings of youth unions, character education week, and political course of students, meetings of labor unions, women’s unions, associations for the elderly of all levels.

e) Organize competitions and events involving researching on human rights and principles of the Communist Party and Government regarding human rights.

g) Organize a series of Exhibitions of human rights assurance of Vietnam in Vietnam and around the world.

Research, collect, and announce Vietnam’s human rights ideologies in Vietnam and around the world via documents under state’s storage to increase value and reinforce nationwide unity; affirm the efforts and achievements regarding human rights assurance of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam adhering to general human rights values. Method: in person and online.

4. Implement international cooperation and foreign affair communication regarding human rights

a) Effectively maintain discussion and information exchange with international partners and international human rights apparatuses. Develop media plans and notify the press before, during, and after every diplomatic event regarding human rights according to general agreements, protection and national reporting regarding implementation of UN treaties regarding human rights.

b) Extract foreign resources and donations in accordance with regulations and law serving human rights communications.

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d) Organize field trips in Vietnam for foreign correspondents residing in Vietnam and international press corps to inspect local socio-economic development situations.

5. Organize human rights communication awards

a) Introduce “Giải báo chí về quyền con người“ to the system of “Giải báo chí quốc gia”, “Giải sách quốc gia”, “Giải thưởng Thông tin đối ngoại toàn quốc”, etc.; research and organize “Giải thưởng truyền thông về quyền con người”.

b) Organize free-writing competitions, law knowledge competitions, photography and art competitions regarding human rights.

6. Implement digital transformation and apply new technologies in human rights communication activities

a) Digitalize documents, materials, multimedia publishing products that are products of the Scheme for storage on national common databases. Calibrate and add more contents to utilize digitalized data (multiple languages, support electronic publications) and move towards building human rights information ecosystem on cyberspace.

b) Apply virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D website, model, applications, etc. to provide experiences and interactions and increase people’s awareness, raise interest, create impressions to allow the general public to popularize achievements regarding human rights and advertise Vietnam’s images.

c) Apply digital technologies in supervising information on cyberspace to promptly detect and analyze information channels in order to research, predict, and advise competent authority to take response measures; actively communicate, navigate through information, and fight against false information, misinformation infringing human rights in Vietnam.

d) Develop and operate human rights database for storing, connecting, sharing, and utilizing human rights communication products.

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VI EXPENDITURE ON SCHEME IMPLEMENTATION

1. Expenditure on implementing the Scheme shall be guaranteed by the state budget, donations of press agencies, publishing agencies, scientific research organizations participating in implementation of the Scheme, donations of domestic and international organizations and individuals as per the law and other legal funding sources.

2. On an annual basis, based on tasks set forth under the Scheme, ministries, central and local departments shall develop plans, estimate implementation expenditure, Integrate in annual budget estimates of ministries, central and local departments and request competent authorities to decide based on applicable regulations on state budget decentralization.

3. The management and use of state budgets shall conform to regulations on bidding and relevant law provisions.

VII. ORGANIZING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME

1. General clauses

Ministries, ministerial agencies, Governmental agencies, People’s Committees of provinces, press agencies, and agencies implementing the Scheme are responsible for:

- cooperating with authorities in charge of the Scheme in implementing the Scheme.

- developing specific plans and estimates for implementation of the Scheme within their state budget estimates.

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2. Ministry of Information and Communications shall

- Take charge guiding plans for implementation of the Scheme.

- Take charge and cooperate in communicating human rights in digital Government, digital society, digital economy; prioritize protecting children’s rights on cyberspace.

- Take charge and cooperate with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and relevant entities in proposing projects using other legal funding sources and donations to implement tasks and solutions of the Scheme.

- Take charge developing outline content of exhibitions of human rights protection achievements in Vietnam; cooperate with ministries, departments, and local governments in contributing images and documents on human rights assurance results in fields under their management; take charge organizing in-person and online exhibitions on nationwide scale, regional scale, local scale in Vietnam and certain areas outside of Vietnam; assign and guide local governments to organize exhibitions on provincial and grassroots scale.

- Take charge and cooperate with ministries, departments, ministerial agencies, and governments of provinces and central-affiliated cities in inspecting and expediting implementation, produce 3-year assessment results, organize conclusion of the Scheme and report to the Prime Minister.

3. Ministry of Public Security shall

- Take charge developing, providing contents, and improving communication data regarding anti-human trafficking;

- Cooperate with Ministry of Justice in developing, providing contents, and improving communication data regarding Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or other Degrading Treatment of Punishment.

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- Take charge providing official information on cases under international concern, punitive actions imposed on individuals exploiting democracy to violate Vietnamese regulations and law; take charge or cooperate in explaining, clarifying, or fighting against false information on human rights in Vietnam.

4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall handle communication activities outside of Vietnam; direct foreign Vietnamese representative missions to communicate human rights towards Vietnamese overseas, politicians, press, and scholars.

5. Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs shall develop, provide contents, and improve data for Convention of the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women; Convention on the Rights of the Child; Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families; Conventions of ILO regarding labour rights and clauses pertaining to labourer’s rights under worldwide FTAs to which Vietnam is a signatory.

6. The Ministry of Justice shall educate and popularize human rights regulations and law; develop, provide contents, and improve data for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or other Degrading Treatment of Punishment

7. Ministry of Planning and Investment shall develop, provide contents, and improve data for the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

8. Committee for Ethnic Affairs shall develop, provide contents, and improve data for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

9. Ministry of Industry and Trade shall develop, provide contents, and improve data for the commitments pertaining to human rights in FTAs to which Vietnam is a signatory or is about to be a signatory.

10. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall develop, provide contents, and improve communication data for preservation of freedom of religion and other rights within their tasks and powers.

11. Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee’s Publicity and Education Commission and Vietnamese Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations shall

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b) increasingly communicate in accordance with the Scheme.

12. The Ministry of Finance shall allocate central government budget to cover recurrent expenditure of ministries and central authorities to implement the Scheme.

13. People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall

- Organize implementation of the Scheme in their provinces and cities.

- Direct Departments of Information and Communications and local authorities to communicate in accordance with local requirements and conditions within the tasks and solutions under the Scheme.

- Balance and allocate local government budget to implement assigned tasks in accordance with the Law on State Budget.

14. Press and publishing authorities

- Take advantage of order placement and task proposal regulations, develop columns, dedicated sections, and dedicate suitable contents to communicate human rights.

- Assign officials, journalists, and editors to participate in training and advanced training for human rights communication skills.

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- Popularize press and publishing products pertaining to human rights on media infrastructures and platforms, specifically cyberspace. Exchange programs communicating human rights achievements in Vietnam for broadcasting by reputable international media companies.

Article 2. This Decision comes into effect from the day of signing.

Regarding other Schemes for communicating human rights that are still in effect, if new Schemes are to be developed, presiding authorities shall cooperate with Ministry of Information and Communications and relevant ministries, departments, and authorities in reporting to the Prime Minister to avoid overlap.

Ministry of Information and Communications is responsible for the accuracy of information and data under the Scheme.

During implementation, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Finance, relevant ministries, departments, and local governments shall strictly cooperate and ensure effective, efficient implementation of the Scheme.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial agencies, heads of Governmental agencies, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, heads of press and publishing agencies are responsible for the implementation of this Decision./.

PP. PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER




Pham Binh Minh

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