The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for people everywhere to support the right to live free and equal.  In line with his Highest Aspiration: A Call to Action for Human Rights, today we reaffirm the promise of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) – to uphold universal, indivisible and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms for everyone, everywhere.  Our efforts are particularly important this year, as 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the UDHR. We have come a long way, and yet, equality is not yet within reach, and discrimination and phobias against minority groups persists.  The Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) 2022 shows that the LGBTI community continues to face stigmatization and bias.  Moreover, LGBTI persons face restrictions in accessing education, employment, housing, healthcare and other social services.  Viet Nam supported several recommendations on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the 3rd cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).  We strongly support reporting on the implementation of recommendations on LGBTI in the 4th cycle of the UPR that is underway this year in consultation with the LGBTI community organizations.  Making improvements to the rights of LGBTI persons and organizations will also lead to accelerating progress in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities, ensuring that no one is left behind. The UN in Viet Nam is committed to accelerating progress through promotion of laws, policies, budgets, and institutions that ensure human rights for all and advancing equality..  Towards this positive change, focus should be placed on the adoption of the Gender Affirmation Law that puts the principle of self-determination at the center. Actions include developing comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, amending the Gender Equality Law to broaden the scope of the legal definition of “gender” to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and strengthening the Marriage and Family Law. Let us unite to create this change.  Nothing about us without us calls for meaningful participation and leadership of LGBTI persons in policy development that affects their lives. Only then can everyone enjoy the right to live free and equal.

All 27 EU member countries are expected to begin piloting CBAM in October 2023, with the aim of ensuring a level playing field for European businesses facing carbon prices by imposing a carbon border tax on imports from countries that do not apply equivalent carbon pricing measures. CBAM will have a direct impact on Vietnamese producers who export  to the EU, as exporters will need to ensure that their products meet the corresponding tax rate set on EU manufacturers. Initially, CBAM will apply to imported goods such as steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium, electricity, and hydrogen, which are sectors with a high risk of carbon leakage and high carbon emissions.  To support this transition, the UNOPS-managed Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) conducted a consultation workshop for the CBAM impact assessment report on Viet Nam and held a workshop in Ha Noi. The aim of the workshop was to gather feedback and ideas on how Viet Nam can reduce the adverse effects and increase the advantages of the EU's CBAM for energy transition, climate change mitigation, and low-carbon development in Viet Nam. 70 people attended in person, including representatives from governmental agencies and ministries such as MOF, MOIT, MONRE/DCC (Department of Climate Change) and MOC while an additional 110 joined online. Sirpa Jarvenpaa, the Director of the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) Project, emphasised the significance of CBAM for Viet Nam, which is a major exporter to the EU by saying: "The results of the impact assessment of the CBAM provide a comprehensive view of the difficulties and policies affecting Viet Nam and how CBAM contributes to the energy transition to help Vietnam reduce carbon emissions". Across Southeast Asia, at the regional, national and local levels, the ETP Project ambitiously pursues energy transition. Through engaging private and public partners, the project aims to drive change at policy, fiscal and technology levels. This includes expanding financing for investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable resilient infrastructures to deliver joint action. The implementation of CBAM highlights the global importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To remain competitive in the global marketplace, businesses must take action to reduce their carbon footprint. UNOPS through the ETP supports Vietnamese businesses to prepare and adapt to greener production.  ENDS   Notes to the editors:  Contact Details: Toan Do (toand@unops.org) / Thuy NGUYEN: thuyn@unops.org) About ETP The Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) is a multi-donor regional platform, managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), that supports the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Indonesia’s transition towards modern energy systems that can simultaneously ensure economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability.  About UNOPS UNOPS's mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org

April 20, 2023, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. The Fourth Global Conference of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme of the UN’s One Planet Network will be held between 24 - 27 April 2023 in Ha Noi. The conference will focus on how food systems need to be transformed in order to overcome the multiple deeply rooted and interlinked crises of climate, biodiversity, conflict, energy, prices, hunger, malnutrition, and health to achieve the SDGs. The conference contributes toward the 2023 Stocktaking Moment of the UN Food Systems Summit, scheduled for 24-26 July 2023 in Rome. A number of sessions, including a Dialogue among National Convenors (UN FSS Dialogues) and a range of side events, will be held. The One Planet network was specifically mandated by UN member states Rio+20Conference on Sustainable Development. As one of its six thematic programs, the SFS Programme is a global multi-stakeholder partnership with over 190 global members that aims to accelerate the shift towards more sustainable consumption and production across all the elements that form our food systems. The SFS Programme defends that a more holistic and inclusive approach is required to successfully address the multiple challenges present today in our unsustainable food systems. The conference aims to present transformational actions, tools and initiatives that have emerged since the UN FSS held in September 2021 with a view to promote their uptake and upscaling in national and local policy-making processes. Moreover, the goal is to further promote the food systems approach and inclusive governance and collaboration at all levels – including multilateral policy processes and particularly Rio Conventions – with a view to foster their uptake for the development of multi-sectoral action plans towards sustainable consumption and production in food systems; and Furthermore, the conference will provide a space for National Convenors, UN FSS coalitions and other relevant multi-actor initiatives as well as other food systems actors such as youth, civil society and farmer organizations, to build capacities and deepen their collective efforts towards sustainable food systems pathways, prior to the July meeting. The conference will enable diverse stakeholders to showcase early signs of success in implementing UN FSS results, including by presenting tools and techniques that deal with interdependencies and trade-offs of the food systems challenges, allowing the sharing of lessons and experiences, with the goal of strengthening alliances and impactful initiatives that can deliver concrete actions in support of National Pathways. The conference will also discuss food system challenges and peer-to-peer learning and sharing of experiences from across the globe, emphasizing Asian region country participation. "We are living an unprecedented food security crisis. That's why we need to act now in a globally coordinated manner. Those most affected by this crisis do not have time for lack of coordination. Nor do future generations, who count on food systems transformation to secure their human right to adequate food, dignified livelihoods and a healthy planet." - H.E. Ambassador Gabriel Ferrero, Chairperson, UN Committee on World Food Security. The event is hosted by the Government of Viet Nam, under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and co-organized by the Co-Leads of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme: Switzerland; Costa Rica, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF); together with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. The organizing committee has been further formed by Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development, Rikolto, the Major Group for Children and Youth, UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Environment (UNEP), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Organization support has also been provided by INRAe, Food Action Alliance, Project X, UN Nutrition, USDA, and the World Benchmarking Alliance.  And further support has been generously provided by ACIAR, Canada, CGIAR One Health initiative, CGIAR ILRI, CGIAR Sustainable Healthy Diets initiative, CIFOR-ICRAF, CIRAD, IKI – Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Ireland, One Health Partnership, Oxfam, and UNIDO The conference will be held at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. Welcoming more than 150 participants from across governmental entities, private sector companies, civil society organizations, research institutions and UN agencies, the conference will feature various speakers, including H.E. Lê Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Viet Nam; H.E. Mr. Maury Hechavarría Bermúdez, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba; H.E. Christian Hofer, Director-General, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland; Honorable Saboto Caesar, H.E. Meles Mekonen, State Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, Ethiopia; H.E. Ambassador Gabriel Ferrero, CFS Chairperson; H.E. Sok Silo, Secretary General, Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), Office of the Council of Ministers, Cambodia; Su McCluskey, Special Representative for Australian Agriculture; Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, UNCTAD; Joao Campari, Global Food Lead, WWF; Corinna Hawkes, Food Systems and Food Safety Director, FAO; Prof. Dao The Anh, Vice-president Viet Nam Academy of Agriculture Sciences; Nadine Gbossa, Director Food Systems Coordination, IFAD, Chief Means of Implementation, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub; Dr. Ann Trevenen-Jones, Lead of the Food Systems Governance programme at The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), among others.   More information: Mr. Michael Mulet Solon (WWF): Michael.Mulet@wwf.de   What do we mean by a Sustainable Food System? The food system brings together all elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions) and activities related to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food and the impacts of these activities, including economic and environmental outcomes. A sustainable food system (SFS) is one that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to produce food are not compromised for future generations. In other words, the food system determines the quantity, quality and diversity of food available for consumption. The growing urbanization, the change in food patterns and the new ways of producing and processing food has changed the quantity, quality and social and environmental impact of the food consumed today. Under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, food systems must guarantee a better nutrition for all people, in a more sustainable way, mitigating climate change, with the aim of ensuring adequate food and a healthy life for all people now and in the future.

In Viet Nam, ethnic minorities are often disadvantaged compared to the majority of the population due to stereotypes and other cultural barriers. Despite considerable progress in universalizing basic education, ethnic minority children, especially girls, are more likely than other children to drop out. UNESCO’s “We are ABLE” project was launched to address this issue. The slogan “Achieving Better Living and Education” creating the acronym “ABLE” emphasizes trust in the ability of ethnic minority children, especially girls, to overcome challenges. “Education can be a true source of empowerment when it addresses the gender-based barriers, stigma and discrimination that hold learners back from fulfilling their right to education and future life, work and leadership opportunities. We must harness education’s power to unlock the potential of learners in all of their diversity and transform educational institutions to achieve just, equal and inclusive societies,” shared Ms Justine Sass, Chief of the Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality of UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Phase I of the project “We are ABLE” was jointly implemented from 2019-2022 by UNESCO, MOET and CEMA, funded by the UNESCO Malala Fund for Girls' Right to Education with financial and technical support from CJ Group. It targeted 12 districts in three provinces: Ha Giang, Ninh Thuan, and Soc Trang. The project increased ethnic minority girls’ access and retention in schools and ensured better employment opportunities for ethnic minority women. Phase I of the project reached 16,296 students (including 8,021 girls). Across the 24 project schools, among ethnic minority learners, enrolment rates increased from 62% to 67%, drop-out rates dropped from 3.8% to 2.9%, and transition rates to upper-secondary rose from 69.7% to 76.7%. 2,136 teachers and educational administrators were trained on gender-responsive school counselling, and thousands more will be reached through the national roll-out of the online course. 120 ethnic minority women and youth were empowered with entrepreneurship training and continue to be supported through the Commune’s Women’s Union. “The project helped us dare to share our dreams to our parents, teachers and society. It was also a great motivation for us to keep trying and going to school.” – Ms Phan T. T., a student from Minh Tan secondary school, Ha Giang province. “In recent years, thanks to the “We are ABLE” project, our school has attracted children to go to school and no child had to drop out from school to get married, which is an achievement for the school. We now also have career orientation for students through site visits at communities.” – Mr Nguyen Van Thai, Vice Principal, Minh Tan secondary school, Ha Giang province. Phase II of the “We are ABLE” project will be rolled out in Cao Bang, Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan provinces, aiming to empower ethnic minority youth, especially girls and young women, in boarding secondary schools and neighbouring communities to overcome stereotypes and to voice and act on their dreams, hopes and aspirations in education. Phase II will build skills and platforms and create an enabling environment for student-led communication and advocacy and strengthen Government commitment to education for ethnic minority children and youth, especially girls. MOET will continue to be a key partner to implement the project with UNESCO while YU, a new partner, will support student-led communication and advocacy and promote girls’ education through community outreach, provincial and national fora. The Vietnamese Today magazine will reinforce communication activities. “The project is expected to contribute to the Vietnamese Government’s new 10-year Education Development Strategic Plan, the Strategy for Ethnic Minority Development, and the national commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 4 on Education and Goal 5 on gender equality,” shared UNESCO Representative to Viet Nam, Mr Christian Manhart. At the ceremony, Mr Vu Minh Duc, General Director of Departments of Teachers and Educational Administrators, MOET, and Ms Be Thi Hong Van, Director of the Project Management Unit for “Strengthening the effectiveness of development policies, programmes and poverty reduction initiatives for ethnic minority”, CEMA, key partners of phase I, expressed their appreciation to CJ group, UNESCO and other project partners. Mr Duc also called on “District Offices of Education and Training in Cao Bang, Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan to strengthen the cooperation and their responsibilities to cooperate with UNESCO in implementing the second phase of the project to achieve its goals as was done in the first phase”. CJ Group remains the main donor for Phase II. "The first project was successful despite the COVID-19 situation because not only students but also teachers, parents, communities, and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training participated passionately,” shared Ms Hee Kyung Jo Min, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of CJ CheilJedang. "We will also do our best to help more children be educated without discrimination and grow into talents who will lead Viet Nam's future based on CJ's sharing philosophy". Popular singers from Korea and Viet Nam, Isaac Hong and Phuong My Chi, performed at the event as a call for public attention to support the project’s efforts for ethnic minority girls’ education. UNESCO and partners remain committed to the promotion of gender equality and girls’ education in Viet Nam. --- Media contact: Ms Nguyen Thi Thao, Education Consultant Email: tt.nguyen@unesco.org Tel: 0357438194