A/HRC/41/7 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-second session from 21 January to 1 February 2019. The review of Viet Nam was held at the 4th meeting, on 22 January 2019. The delegation of Viet Nam was headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Le Hoai Trung. At its 10th meeting, held on 25 January 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on Viet Nam. 2. On 15 January 2019, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Viet Nam: Egypt, Italy and Japan. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Viet Nam: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/VNM/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/VNM/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/VNM/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Angola, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), China, Cuba, Egypt, Germany, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal, on behalf of the Group of Friends on national implementation, reporting and follow-up, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) was transmitted to Viet Nam through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of Viet Nam stated that Viet Nam attached great importance to the universal periodic review process. The national report had been prepared comprehensively and transparently, with inputs from all relevant stakeholders. 6. The country’s consistent policy on the protection and promotion of human rights was deeply rooted in the history of the Vietnamese people, who had braved hardships to gain their right to live in peace, independence, freedom and happiness. In the 1945 Declaration of Independence, the new State solemnly asserted the right to independence of the Vietnamese nation and set out all the other fundamental rights of its people. 7. The country’s human rights accomplishments, including the implementation of the recommendations accepted from the second review cycle, built upon the country’s earlier efforts and were part of the State’s comprehensive reform and international integration process, in which the people were both the drivers and the focus of the country’s development. 8. Between 2014 and 2018, Viet Nam had amended or reissued 96 laws and decrees related to human rights, including laws on religion and belief, on access to information, on referendums and on children. The development of such laws always involved the collection of inputs from social organizations and the public and were discussed at the National Assembly. 2