English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

A Gendered and Rights-Based Review of Vietnamese Legal Documents through the Lens of CEDAW
There are general provisions of law that provide a right to seek redress when there are
violations of rights and interests. First, Article 1 of the Law on Complaints and Denunciations
defines who has the right to file complaints and denunciations in cases of violations of their
rights and interests.
Article 1
(1) Citizens, agencies and organizations are entitled to complain about administrative decisions
and/or administrative acts of State administrative bodies and/or competent persons
therein when having grounds to believe that such decisions and/or acts have contravened
laws and infringed upon their legitimate rights and interests. Officials and public
servants are entitled to complain about disciplinary decisions of competent persons
when having grounds to believe that such decisions have contravened laws and infringed
upon their legitimate rights and interests.
(2) Citizens are entitled to denounce to competent agencies, organizations or individuals
illegal acts committed by any agencies, organizations and/or individuals, which
cause damage or threaten to cause damage to the interests of the State and/or the legitimate
rights and interest of citizens, agencies and/or organizations.
Second, the following articles in the Criminal Procedure Code provide:
Article 7: Protection of life, health, honour, dignity and property of citizens.
Citizens have the right to have their life, health, honour, dignity and property protected by
law. All acts of infringing upon the life, health, honour, dignity and/or property shall be handled
according to law.
Article 101: Denunciations and information on offenses
Citizens may denounce offenses to investigating bodies, procuracies, courts or other bodies,
organizations…
Article 325: Persons with the right to complain
Agencies, organizations and individuals shall have the right to complain about procedural
decisions and acts of bodies and persons with procedure-conducting competence when
they have grounds to believe that such decisions or acts are contrary to law, infringe upon
their legitimate rights and interests.
Article 334: Persons with the right to denounce
Citizens shall have the right to denounce to competent bodies or individuals law violation
acts of any persons with procedure-conducting competence, which cause damage or threaten
to cause damage to the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of citizens,
agencies or organizations.
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Third, Article 24 of the Civil Procedure Code states:
Article 24: Assurance of the right to complaints and denunciations in civil procedures
Individuals, agencies and organizations shall have the right to complain about, individuals
shall have the right to denounce, illegal acts of persons conducting the civil procedures
or of any individuals, agencies or organizations in civil proceedings.
General undertakings to eliminate discrimination and ensure equality (Articles 1-3 of CEDAW)