The Standing Office of the Government's Steering Committee on Human Rights, in collaboration with the Human Rights Steering Committee of Bac Giang Province, organized a 2024 training conference on human rights.

Speaking at the conference, Mai Son, Permanent Vice Chairman of Bac Giang People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Human Rights Steering Committee, emphasized the significant progress Bac Giang has made in socio-economic development.

The province achieved an economic growth rate of 13.45%, the highest in the country, while continuously improving the material and spiritual well-being of its citizens.

Social welfare initiatives have been effectively implemented, with special attention given to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children.

Sustainable poverty reduction efforts have also been prioritized, lowering the provincial poverty rate to 2.63% (based on the 2021–2025 standards), while the poverty rate in especially disadvantaged communes dropped by 13.4% to 13.6%. Additionally, 33,000 new jobs were created across the province in 2023.

Despite these accomplishments, challenges remain. Awareness campaigns about human rights achievements, while improving, lack depth.

Some officials do not fully grasp the Party and State's policies on human rights, nor can they clearly differentiate between legitimate human rights issues and attempts by hostile forces to exploit human rights for subversive purposes.

Efforts to counter the misuse of freedoms - such as religious, speech, and internet freedoms - for disruptive activities also face limitations.

Major General Nguyen Van Ky, Deputy Chief of the Standing Office for the Government's Steering Committee on Human Rights, stressed the importance of aligning human rights efforts with grassroots initiatives.

He called for stronger coordination among government departments and agencies to safeguard and promote human rights.

He urged Bac Giang's Human Rights Steering Committee to proactively advise local authorities on implementing policies and laws that ensure and enhance human rights.

He also emphasized the need to strengthen domestic and international communication, disseminating positive information on human rights achievements while remaining vigilant against attempts by hostile forces to exploit democratic and human rights issues.

The training conference covered critical updates on human rights work, helping attendees - comprising officials and party members - apply this knowledge effectively in their roles. The two key topics discussed were: Preventing the misuse of labor organizations to threaten national security and public safety; Addressing human rights issues in the current context.

These sessions were highly praised by participants for their practical insights, which aid officials in management, advisory roles, and the effective implementation of human rights protections.

In his closing address, Mai Son highlighted the conference as a valuable opportunity for human rights officers to enhance their knowledge and acquire essential skills for their duties. He underscored the importance of improving the quality and impact of public awareness campaigns while combating the exploitation of democracy and human rights for subversive activities.

The conference also served as a platform for experience-sharing and problem-solving in human rights work, fostering better coordination between central and local authorities to protect and promote human rights effectively.

PV