A seminar was held on March 6 to seek consultation on issues to be tabled for discussion by the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights’ (SCDHR) at the 132^nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132), to be held in Ha Noi between March 28 and April 1.

National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu

Recommendations from government bodies, social organisations and experts were collected on several issues to be discussed during the Standing Committee’s meetings.

Vice National Assembly Chairperson Uong Chu Luu said that while both democracy and human rights are universal core values, they must be defined in national constitutions and laws, he noted.

Chu Luu stressed the significant role of the SCDHR in facilitating greater democracy and human rights as well as related laws, adding that the ultimate goals of the IPU and SCDHR include improved effectiveness in supervising government initiatives, increased legislative power and greater freedom and democracy towards peace and sustainable development.

Delegates to the seminar discussed the draft resolutions entitled “International law as it relates to national sovereignty and non-intervention in the internal affairs of states and human rights” and “Democracy in the digital era and the threat to privacy and individual freedoms” together with issues concerning the rights of children and the health of women, children and adolescents.

The delegates expressed their opinions and shared their experiences with a view to strengthening the Vietnamese National Assembly, State and people’s point of view regarding issues to be considered at the upcoming IPU-132.