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Mekong River Commission

Danida Advisers

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HUMAN RIGHTS

In Vietnam, Denmark actively works to promote human rights, good governance and democracy through its policy dialogue with the government of Vietnam and through its development assistance activities.

Support to the promotion of human rights is an integral part of Danish foreign and development policy. The Embassy of Denmark actively promotes respect for human rights in its bilateral dialogue with the Vietnamese authorities and through the EU.

In promotion of Danish foreign policy objectives, the Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi works to:

• Ensure recognition of and respect for human rights for all without discrimination, including ethnic minorities;
• Address concerns in regard to the human rights situation in the country;
• Promote democracy and respect for human rights in Danish development assistance to
Vietnam;
• Promote adherence to international human rights obligations;
• Promote the abolition of the death penalty;
• Promote good governance and the rule of law through inter alia the fight against corruption,
support legal,administrative and public financial reforms, transparency and accountability,
as well as to grass roots democracy and freedom of association.

Development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is not only an important objective of Danish foreign and development policy, but also of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union, of which Denmark is a member. Missions of EU member states work to enhance EU action for the protection and support of human rights and human rights defenders in third countries, including in Vietnam, in line with the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, adopted in June 2004.

The EU also attaches special importance to the abolition of the death penalty and works on the basis of the Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on the death penalty.

Human rights, democracy and good governance are vital means in achieving sustainable development and are cross cutting considerations in Danish development assistance to Vietnam. Denmark provides direct and substantial assistance to legal, administrative and public financial reform as important elements of good governance. As such, Denmark supports the strengthening of the capacity of the office of the National Assembly, as wells as of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy. Denmark also provides support to the State Auditor of Vietnam in carrying out activities that facilitate the implementation of the Law on State Audit and contribute to the acceleration of public financial reforms. It supports Human Rights Research Centres and the establishment of a Human Rights Education network in universities and research centres in Vietnam.

Denmark's Strategy for Democracy and Human Rights in Development Cooperation can be found under the Read More column. In the Download colum, the Danish Strategy for International Cooperation in Human Rights can be downloaded.

	Strategy for Democracy and Human Rights in Development Cooperation
	Good Governance
	zero tolerance on corruption

	Statement by the EU Heads of Mission on the trial of Mr Le Cong Dinh, Mr Nguyen Tien Trung, Mr Tran Huynh Duy Thuc and Mr Le Thang Long on 20 January 2010.
	EU concern about the arrest of Mr Nguyen Tien Trung and Mr Tran Anh Kim
	Statement by the EU Heads of Mission in Vietnam on the arrest of lawyer Le Cong Dinh
	Statement by the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on the Sentences Given to Two Vietnamese Journalists
	Press Statement by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union in Hanoi on the sentencing and arrests of human rights defenders in Vietnam

Guidelines on EU policy towards third countries on death penalty

Danish Approach to International Human Rights Cooperation

EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders

For more information on human rights, please contact Counsellor Anna Kiertzner
Email: annkie@um.dk

Edited January 22, 2010