United Nations
General Assembly
A/HRC/17/34/Add.1
Distr.: General
9 May 2011
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Seventeenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the independent expert on the question of human
rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona
Addendum
Mission to Viet Nam* **
Summary
At the invitation of the Government, the independent expert on the question of
human rights and extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, undertook a mission to
Viet Nam from 23 to 31 August 2010. During the visit, the expert collected first-hand
information on the human rights situation of people living in extreme poverty, and on
social policies, particularly those related to social protection.
The independent expert recognizes the important progress in poverty reduction
made in Viet Nam over two decades of rapid economic development, reflected in increased
enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by the population. However, as
acknowledged by Government studies, the benefits of this progress have not been equally
shared, and rising inequality is a serious concern. Renewed attention is thus urgently
required in order to reach the significant portion of the population that continues to live in
extreme poverty, and to ensure that those whose situation has improved are protected from
future crises. This demands new strategies to ensure better protection for those who are
particularly vulnerable to poverty such as women, children, older persons, internal migrant
workers, persons with disabilities and, especially, ethnic minorities.
The report looks at the enjoyment of human rights, in particular economic, social
and cultural rights, of these groups, and provides concrete recommendations on how to
* The summary of the present report is circulated in all official languages. The report itself,
contained in the annex to the summary, is circulated in the language of submission only.
** Late submission.
GE.11-13112