Decision 1079/QD-TTg 2022 approve Scheme on communications about human rights in Vietnam

DECISION

Approving the Scheme on communications about human rights in Vietnam^[1]

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and the Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the April 9, 2016 Law on Treaties;

Pursuant to the April 5, 2016 Press Law;

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

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 72/2015/ ND-CP of September 7, 2015, on management of external information activities;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 09/2017/ND-CP of January 9, 2017, detailing the making of statements and provision of information by state administrative agencies to the press;

Pursuant to the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW of September 27, 2019, on a number of policies on the country’s proactive involvement in the Fourth Industrial Revolution;

At the proposal of the Minister of Information and Communications.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the Scheme on communications about human rights in Vietnam (below referred to as the Scheme) in the 2023-2028 period with the following principal contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Proper understanding of human rights as well as the Party’s and the State’s guidelines, policies and laws on human rights is a prerequisite condition to effectively protect and promote human rights. Provision of information and communications about human rights must be carried out in a regular and uninterrupted manner in various forms for all strata of people to understand and strictly abide by the law on human rights and fight and criticize false views and allegations on human rights.

2. Communications about human rights is a political task and regular responsibility of the entire political system in the immediate future and long term. Results of communications about human rights serve as one of the objective criteria for evaluating effectiveness of the human right work performed by all levels and sectors. The proper assurance and promotion of human rights is a decisive condition for effective communications about human rights.

3. Communications about human rights shall be carried out in three main domains, including dissemination and education about knowledge about human rights; communication about efforts and achievements in the assurance of human rights; explanation, clarification and refutation of false and distorted information about the practical exercise of human rights in Vietnam. Priority will be given to the efficient exploitation of advantages of digital platform-based communications to provide transparent information about the Vietnamese State’s efforts and achievements in guaranteeing human rights to the public at home and abroad.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

Communications about human rights aims at creating positive changes in the people’s awareness and understanding about human rights; provision of sufficient information will help people at home, overseas Vietnamese and international friends clearly understand viewpoints and policies on, and efforts and achievements in, the protection and promotion of human rights in Vietnam; to raise Vietnam’s prestige in the sphere of human rights in the country, the region and the world.

2. Specific objectives through 2028

- All state administrative agencies will implement the mechanism of making statements and providing information about the human right work to the press on a regular basis under current regulations for the latter to provide information about the reality of human rights and results of the human right work in a timely manner which are commensurate with efforts and achievements in the assurance of human rights obtained by functional agencies in particular and the whole country in general.

- All staffs engaged in the human right work and information and communications management and all personnel in charge of the external information service work of press agencies, 70% of officials holding key positions in socio-political organizations at the central and provincial levels will be provided with updated information on the practical human right work in Vietnam as well as knowledge and skills in communications about human rights.

- To organize exhibitions of photos and archived documents on human rights in Vietnam in Vietnamese and foreign languages in 63 provinces and cities and a number of strategic overseas locations.

- To compile, publish and reprint some 1,000 book titles on human rights; to diversify mass communications products, raise the proportion of media products in ethnic minority and foreign languages and those on digital platforms from current 15% to 20% of total media products on human rights.

- All data and media products produced under the Scheme will be digitalized, inter-connected for shared use, and disseminated in the cyberspace in order to spread positive and humane information; to reduce untruthful information, fake and malicious news infringing upon human rights in the cyberspace to below 10% of total information on human rights in Vietnam; to detect and handle 90% of fake and malicious news infringing upon human rights in the cyberspace.

- Regarding external relations: To complete the implementation of international recommendations on intensification of communications and improvement of public awareness about human rights which were accepted by the Vietnamese Government, including recommendations Nos. 63, 67 and 86 made at the third-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council^[2].

III. Subjects and scope of implementation of the Scheme

1. Subjects of communications

- All officials engaged in the human right work, communications, external information service and mass mobilization work at the central and local levels at home and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad.

- People from all walks of life, religious and ethnic communities, particularly intellectuals, religious dignitaries, prestigious people in ethnic minority communities, the youth, students, pupils, and prestigious and influential people in cyber communities.

- National and international press and media.

- The overseas Vietnamese community; Vietnamese pupils, students and postgraduates studying abroad.

- Diplomatic representative missions of foreign countries, representative offices of international and regional organizations and international news and press agencies in Vietnam, foreign non-governmental organizations currently operating in Vietnam, foreign-invested enterprises, and the expat community in Vietnam.

- Foreign politicians, and political, social and civil organizations, international and regional organizations and prestigious non-governmental organizations in human rights, especially organizations with good sentiment toward Vietnam.

2. Scope of implementation of the Scheme

- In the country: All 63 provinces and centrally run cities.

- In foreign countries: To choose to organize direct and online communications targeted at foreign countries and territories with large Vietnamese communities, priority geographical areas for the development of external relations of the Party and the State; and areas where headquarters of international human rights agencies are based such as New York (the United States of America), Geneva (Switzerland), Bangkok (Thailand), etc.

IV. Contents of communications

1. The international law on human rights, focusing on 7 fundamental international conventions on human rights, including (1) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, (2) the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, (3) the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, (4) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (5) the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, (6) the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and (7) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and international experience in the assurance and promotion of human rights.

2. The Party’s guidelines and the Vietnamese State’s regulations on human rights; results of the domestic incorporation and implementation of international commitments on human rights, bilateral and multilateral commitments to which Vietnam is a contracting party or planning to join.

3. Reality, efforts and achievements of the assurance of human rights in various fields, including hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, taking care of people’s lives, and vulnerable and disadvantaged groups for the target that no one is left behind; positive assessments and comments of the public and international media on Vietnam’s achievements in the assurance and development of human rights. Positive information on upholding of moral values, good deeds, humane lifestyle, and the spirit of solidarity and mutual affection, patriotism, national pride.

4. Cases and matters, subjects in the country and overseas, acts of abusing the rights to freedom, democracy and human rights to violate law or infringe upon lawful rights and interests of individuals, organizations and national security, social order and safety, and Vietnam’s image and international prestige.

5. Priorities in Vietnam’s external relation policies with regard to human rights; Vietnam’s position, role, initiatives and contributions to regional and international efforts and achievements in the assurance of human rights.

V. Solutions and tasks for the implementation of the Scheme

1. Improving the mechanism and system of documents guiding the management of the Scheme

To formulate programs and plans, and adopt specific measures to increase the effectiveness of communications about human rights; to effectively implement the interdisciplinary coordination mechanism for directing and organizing the implementation of the Scheme, specifically:

a/ Guiding plans on implementation of the Scheme

b/ Maintaining and guiding localities in applying the conference mechanism for regular provision of information about the human right work to the press.

c/ Studying and formulating documents providing the mode of archiving the Scheme’s products and the state budget-funded media products; the process of re-exploiting the Scheme’s media programs and products.

d/ Formulating and organizing the implementation of guiding documents for annual provision of information and communications about human rights.

2. Training and providing knowledge and skills in communications about human rights to the media forces

a/ To continue applying the conference mechanism in the monthly provision of information about the human right work and external information service to the press.

b/ To improve quality and efficiency of organizing training conferences, seminars and expert talks in order to improve skills and provide knowledge about human right communications for/to reporters and editors of press and media agencies and publishing houses, staffs  engaged in external information service and grassroots information at the central and local levels; members of provincial-level Steering Committees for Human Rights of provinces and centrally run cities and managerial officials at all levels, particularly those at local and grassroots levels; staffs engaged in law dissemination; disseminators who are cadres of socio-political organizations of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Women’s Union, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and all-level trade unions.

c/ To formulate programs and compile a set of communications materials on human rights for uniform use among ministries, sectors and localities.

d/ To increase field trips for reporters to localities and foundations to write articles on communications contents of the Scheme.

3. Producing, publishing and broadcasting media products on human rights in Vietnamese and foreign languages

a/ To promote the creation and exploitation of accounts and information channels on multilingual and multi-channel social networks toward targeted markets in order to spread information and expand the range of subjects of public communication, particularly the youth; to establish linkages for mobilization of social resources and invite prestigious and influential figures in cyber communities to take part in communications campaigns on human rights.

b/ To organize massive open online courses - MOOCs on human rights-related contents, including videos in the 3-5 minute range and lecture slides.

c/ To produce and popularize multimedia publications in Vietnamese and foreign languages, giving priority to new-style products providing new perspectives that are easily spread on social networks and e-books that may be accessed by scanning QR codes and be uploaded to applications.

d/ To further develop media products about human rights suitable to reality of different localities and regions for publishing and broadcasting on district-level public address systems, commune-level public address stations, electronic bulletin boards, grassroots information boards and other grassroots information forms (radio reportages, audio dramas, comedy sketches, videos, etc.); to organize mobile public communication in the form of exhibitions of human rights-related paintings, documentary photos and posters.

dd/ To intensify communications about human rights in extracurricular programs, activities of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and mass organizations and civil education weeks, political activities for pupils and students at the beginning of their study periods, and activities of trade union’s chapters, women’s unions and elderly associations at all levels.

e/ To organize contests on understanding about human rights and the Party’s and State’s viewpoints on human rights.

g/ To organize exhibitions of Vietnam’s achievements in the assurance of human rights at home and abroad.

To study, collect and publish Vietnam’s human rights ideas kept in state archives at home and abroad in order to enhance the convergence of values and consolidate the great national unity bloc; to affirm efforts and achievements of the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the assurance of human rights which are compatible with universal human right values. Form of organization: in-person or online.

4. Undertaking international cooperation, and carrying out external information service on human rights

a/ To maintain efficient mechanisms for dialogue and information exchange with international partners and international human rights mechanisms; to formulate communications and information plans for the press before, during and after external information events on human rights in conformity with general agreements and activities of protecting national reports on the implementation of the United Nations Conventions on human rights.

b/ To get the best of foreign support and aid in accordance with law for communications about human rights.

c/ To continue cooperating with foreign press and news agencies in exchanging news and articles on Vietnam’s guidelines and policies on and achievements in the assurance of human rights printed on foreign newspapers.

d/ To organize field trips in Vietnam for foreign correspondents residing in Vietnam and delegations of international reporters to explore local socio-economic development.

5. Organizing human rights communications awards

a/ To include the Human Rights Press Awards in the system of the National Press Awards, National Book Awards, National External Information Service Awards; to study the organization of human rights communications awards.

b/ To launch writing contests, contests of legal knowledge, and photo and art contests on human rights.

6. Carrying out digital transformation and applying new technologies in human rights communications

a/ To digitize documents and multimedia publications that are the Scheme’s products for storage at national-level shared-use databases; to edit and develop supplementary contents to make the best use of multi-language digitalized data and supporting e-publications, proceeding to building a human rights information ecosystem in the cyberspace.

b/ To apply virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D websites, models, applications, etc., for providing experiences and interactions to step by step improve the people’s awareness about human rights, bringing into full play their interest in jointly publicizing achievements in the assurance of human rights and promotion of the country’s image.

c/ To apply digital technology in the monitoring of information in the cyberspace in order to promptly detect and analyze information flows for research, forecasting and provision of advices on responsive measures to competent authorities; to carry out proactive communications and navigate information so as to fight fake and malicious news infringing upon human rights in Vietnam.

d/ To build and operate the human rights database serving the storage, connection, sharing and efficient exploitation of media products on human rights.

(See details provided in the Appendix to this Decision).

VI. Funds for the implementation of the Scheme

1. Funds for the implementation of the Scheme come from the state budget; contributions by press agencies, publishing houses, scientific research organizations that take part in implementing the Scheme; financial contributions by domestic and foreign organizations and individuals as specified by law and other lawful aid sources.

2. Annually, based on the tasks assigned under the Program, ministries, sectors and localities shall formulate plans and make cost estimates for implementation, then include them in their annual budget estimation plans for submission to competent authorities for decision under the current state budget decentralization regulations.

3. The state budget management and use must comply with the law on bidding and relevant regulations.

VII. Organization of the implementation of the Scheme

1. General provisions

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, provincial-level People’s Committees, press agencies, and Scheme-implementing agencies shall:

- Coordinate with the agency in charge of implementing the Scheme.

- Formulate specific plans and make cost estimates in the state budget estimates of agencies and units for the implementation of the Scheme.

- Make and send a 3-year preliminary report and final report on the Scheme to the Ministry of Information and Communications for summarization and report to the Prime Minister.

2. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for guiding plans on implementation of the Scheme.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and proactively coordinate with other ministries in, carrying out communications about human rights in the digital government, digital society, and digital economy; attach importance to the protection of child rights in the cyberspace.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Planning and Investment and related agencies and organizations in, proposing projects funded by other lawful aid and support sources to carry out the Scheme’s tasks and solutions.

- Assume the prime responsibility for completing contents of the exhibition on achievements in the assurance of human rights in Vietnam; work with ministries, sectors and localities in contributing photos and documents on human rights assurance results in the fields under their management; assume the prime responsibility for organizing the exhibition offline and online at national, regional and local levels in the country and foreign countries; delegate powers to and guide localities in organizing the  exhibition at provincial- and grassroots-levels.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with departments, ministries, sectors, ministerial-level agencies and provinces and centrally run cities in, inspecting and urging the preparation of preliminary reports on results of the 3-year implementation of the Scheme and organizing a conference on final review of the implementation of the Scheme and report implementation results to the Prime Minister.

3. The Ministry of Public Security shall:

- Assume the prime responsibility for formulating and providing contents and developing data on communications about human trafficking prevention and combat;

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Justice in formulating and providing contents and developing data on communications about the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

- Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications in, scanning, detecting and taking measures to combat, prevent and handle acts of taking advantage of cyberspace to distort the human rights reality in Vietnam and violate Vietnam’s laws.

- Assume the prime responsibility for providing official information on cases and matters of international interest and the handling of subjects who abuse the rights to freedom and democracy to violate Vietnam’s law; assume the prime responsibility for, and cooperate with other ministries in, explaining, clarifying and eliminating false information on human rights in Vietnam.

4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for carrying out communications in foreign countries; direct overseas Vietnamese representative missions to carry out communications about human rights among overseas Vietnamese and foreign politicians, press and scholars.

5. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating, providing contents and developing data on the Convention on 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; and the International Labor Organization’s conventions on labor rights and labor rights-related provisions in new-generation free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a contracting member.

6. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for educating and disseminating the law on human rights; formulate, provide contents and develop data on communications about the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

7. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating, providing contents and developing data on communications about the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

8. The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating, providing contents and developing data on communications about Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

9. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating, providing contents and developing data on communications about human rights commitments in new-generation free trade agreements that Vietnam has planned to join.

10. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for formulating, providing contents and developing data on communications about the assurance of the rights to freedom of belief, religion and other groups of rights according to its functions and tasks.

11. The Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communications and Education, Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations shall:

a/ Request the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Communications and Education to coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications and related agencies in formulating a system of documents; guide the communications about human rights work.

b/ Intensify communications about the Scheme’s contents and tasks.

12. The Ministry of Finance shall allocate the central budget’s funds for covering recurrent expenses of ministries and central agencies for the implementation of the Scheme.

13. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

- Organize and direct the implementation of the Scheme in their localities.

- Direct provincial-level Information and Communications Departments and functional agencies in their localities, based on the Scheme’s contents and tasks, in carrying out communications to meet requirements and practical conditions of their localities.

- Balance and allocate local budgets for the performance of assigned tasks in accordance with the Law on the State Budget.

14. Press agencies and publishing houses shall:

- Apply order-placing mechanisms, propose tasks, build specialized sections and columns, specialized pages, and arrange an appropriate amount of time for communications about human rights.

- Appoint officials, cadres, reporters and editors to participate in training and coaching on knowledge and skills in communications about human rights.

- Select quality press and publication works to participate in the emulation and commendation in order to disseminate information on human rights jointly launched by the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Party Central Committee Commission for Education and Communications and competent authorities.

- Popularize human rights journalistic products and publications on communications platforms with priority given to those which are expected to become viral in the cyberspace; intensify the exchange of programs on communications about Vietnam’s human rights achievements for publishing and broadcasting on platforms of international prestigious media firms.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

For other valid schemes on communications about human rights, in case of formulation of a new scheme, the in-charge agency shall coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications and related ministries, sectors and agencies in reporting the incorporation to the Prime Minister so as to avoid duplication.

The Ministry of Information and Communications shall be responsible for the accuracy of the Scheme’s information and data.

In the course of implementation of the Scheme, the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Finance and related ministries, sectors and agencies and localities shall closely coordinate with one another to ensure efficient implementation of the Scheme.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees, heads of press agencies and publishing houses shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
PHAM BINH MINH

* The Appendix to this Decision is not translated.