Streamlining Vietnam’s Two-Tier Local Government for Human Rights Assurance

This article examines Vietnam’s historic shift from a three-tier to a two-tier local government system, focusing on its legal foundations, implementation process, and implications for human rights. Prompted by Resolution 18-NQ/TW and solidified by a 2025 constitutional amendment, the reform eliminates the district level, consolidates administrative units, and aims to enhance governmental efficiency and citizen accessibility. Drawing on Vietnam’s Constitution, statutory laws, and international human rights frameworks such as the ICCPR and ICESCR, the article evaluates how the streamlined structure affects rights to participation, access to justice, and public service delivery. It analyzes transitional challenges, including human resource gaps and infrastructure strain at the commune level, while highlighting the role of grassroots democracy and digital governance in safeguarding civic rights. Recommendations are offered to strengthen institutional capacity, deepen participatory mechanisms, and align policy outcomes with Vietnam’s domestic and international human rights obligations. The study concludes that with thoughtful implementation and accountability, Vietnam’s local government reform can become a model for rights-oriented administrative restructuring.