A press conference on human rights and external information efforts for December 2025 was held in Hanoi on the morning of December 11.

Speaking at the event, Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of Grassroots Information and External Communication under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized that Vietnam’s achievements in external communication and human rights have been highly appreciated by the country's top leadership.

“According to the World Happiness Report, Vietnam’s happiness index has jumped 19 places in the past two years, and an astonishing 37 places over the last five years. No other sector has seen such a rapid improvement. This is clear evidence that Vietnam is doing an excellent job in protecting and advancing human rights,” Tuan said.

A human rights story grounded in daily life

In Vietnam, human rights are not only enshrined in legal documents and policies, but also reflected in deeply human stories across the country.

These include inspiring accounts like that of a young CEO who has spent his life in a wheelchair and on oxygen, yet now leads a company employing many people with disabilities - providing livelihoods and hope to those often left behind.

Or the young photographer who takes and prints portraits for the poor - many of whom have never had their photo taken - simply to preserve their smiles and moments of joy.

Each story offers a simple yet profound perspective on the meaning of human rights.

Laws reflecting stronger protections

In recent times, Vietnam has passed numerous new laws with significant provisions for human rights.

This progress allows Vietnam to affirm on the global stage: “We are trying hard, and we are doing well. In the future, we will continue to invest significantly in human rights work.”

Vietnam’s recent re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term underscores this progress and affirms the country’s standing in delivering on its international human rights commitments.

Innovating communication on human rights

Over the past year, Vietnam has made notable improvements in how it communicates about human rights.

The Department of Grassroots Information and External Communication has played a pivotal coordinating role, actively supporting various agencies in holding monthly press briefings on human rights work.

At this month’s press conference, representatives shared the outcomes of three years implementing the national communications plan on human rights in Vietnam (Project 1079).

A key highlight: the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is developing a dedicated human rights media database. This resource, approved by the Prime Minister as part of the vietnam.vn national image platform, will provide journalists with reliable reference material and enhance reporting depth on human rights issues.

Seven ministries and agencies have been assigned to manage specific international human rights conventions - for example, the Ministry of Home Affairs oversees gender equality, and the Ministry of Health manages the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Each is responsible for building and updating their respective sectoral data into the shared database.

Furthermore, all award-winning entries from the National Human Rights Communication Awards are being digitized to form a comprehensive ecosystem supporting the ongoing promotion of human rights in Vietnam.

Clearly, human rights communication in Vietnam is becoming more effective and accessible.

PV