UN Independent
Expert on Human Rights and Extreme Poverty to Visit Vietnam
20
August 2010
GENEVA – The UN
Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda,
will visit Viet Nam from 23 to 30 August to collect first-hand information on
the situation of people living in extreme poverty and on efforts undertaken by
the Vietnamese Government to improve their situation.
“Missions like this one are a very important opportunity for countries to review
progress made in the promotion of human rights and renew their commitments,”
said Ms Sepúlveda.
“Viet Nam has been praised for its economic development in recent years, but
poverty persists,” noted the human rights expert, who will visit the country at
the invitation of the Government. “Social protection policies are of great
importance to lift people out of poverty and human rights standards require
official support to these initiatives.”
“Social protection interventions are also instrumental in achieving the UN
Millennium Development Goals,” added Ms Sepúlveda, explaining that she intended
to review Viet Nam’s social protection policies and programmes during her stay.
The Independent Expert will hold meetings with senior Government officials,
including the Deputy Prime Minister and representatives from various ministries
working on social policies. She will also meet UN representatives, the donor
community and non-governmental organizations. During her mission, Ms Sepúlveda
will visit communities living in poverty in Hanoi, and in the provinces of Bac
Kan and Quang Nam.
Based on the information collected during the visit, Ms Sepúlveda will prepare a
report and make recommendations on strengthening social protection in Viet Nam
using a human rights perspective. This report will be presented to the Human
Rights Council in 2011.
A press conference will be held on 31 August 2010 at 14.00 at the UNDP
office in Hanoi.
This mission was originally planned for April 2010, but had to be rescheduled
following airport closures due to the Icelandic volcano ash cloud at that time.
Magdalena Sepúlveda is the Independent Expert on the question of human rights
and extreme poverty since May 2008. She is a Chilean lawyer currently working as
Research Director at the International Council on Human Rights Policy in Geneva.
Learn more about the Independent Expert mandate and work:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/poverty/expert/index.htm