Protecting people’s rights through supervision and social criticism 

When sponsors handed over a computer lab to Tan Thanh secondary school in Tan Tien commune, Dong Nai province, apart from congratulating the school and thanking the sponsors, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee (PPC) and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Dong Nai Huynh Thi Hang together with local authorities, personally inspected each computer desk to check whether the equipment was synchronized and complete, as well as to assess the operating condition of the machines.

Vice Chairpersons of Dong Nai VFF Luu Thi Ha and Nguyen Tan Phu co-chair a conference to collect feedback on the draft documents for the 11th Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 tenure. Photo: Van Truyen

This is just one of many monitoring activities carried out flexibly under the Program on Supervision and Social Criticism implemented by the VFF at all levels across Dong Nai to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people.

According to Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai VFF Ha Anh Dung, supervision and social criticism are distinctive and people-centered activities. They serve as a mechanism through which citizens contribute ideas and initiatives to the Party and local authorities in the formulation and implementation of policies and decisions. These activities enhance accountability among Party committees and governments, strengthen the effectiveness of state management, and clearly reflect the people’s ownership role.

Chairman of Long Thanh commune VFF Committee Nguyen Tan Hung said that right after heavy rains on August 21 and 22, 2025, flooding occurred in the commune due to the construction of the Bien Hoa–Vung Tau Expressway, the commune’s VFF members coordinated to assess damages of local households and identify the causes. Then the Standing Committee of the commune VFF Committee worked with the project investor, construction unit, and affected households to reach an agreement on compensation levels. The commune VFF Committee later continued to monitor the disbursement of support funds to ensure transparency.

Similarly, during land clearance for the Cai Riverside Road Project (section from Ha Huy Giap street to Tran Quoc Toan street), the VFF at all levels participated in monitoring asset inventories and relocation processes, listening to public opinions on asset inventory, relocation processes, and related matters...

Recently, at a conference held by the Standing Committee of the Provincial VFF Committee to collect comments on the draft political report for the 1st Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress, 2025–2030 term, members of the Provincial VFF Committee, as well as representatives from wards, communes, and member organizations, contributed 20 detailed opinions on the report’s structure, layout, and wording.

In recent times, the contents of supervision and social criticism have all been directly related to the legitimate rights and interests of the people, as well as issues of public concern, particularly in areas prone to negative phenomena and directly affecting people’s lives. At the same time, through social criticism, additional perspectives have been provided to agencies drafting resolutions, enabling them to revise and supplement their documents to improve both substance and legal basis before submission to the People’s Council for approval and implementation in practice.

Member of the Provincial VFF Committee and Chairman of the Dong Nai Association of Historical Sciences Tran Quang Toai said that in recent times, supervision and social criticism activities have been proactively carried out by the Provincial VFF Committee. The opinions contributed by the Provincial VFF Committee’s members have been acknowledged, compiled, and conveyed to the agencies responsible for drafting the documents.

According to Nguyen Van Hao, Principal of Tan Thanh secondary school, throughout the process of surveying, installing, and handing over the computer sets, representatives from the VFF at different levels were always present to supervise and listen to feedback from both the school and the donors. This ensured that the final setup met all sponsorship commitments and promoted mutual understanding and transparency.

All comments and recommendations after supervision and social criticism were received and addressed by competent authorities and organizations as prescribed, thereby improving accountability among Party committees and state agencies, enhancing the effectiveness of public administration, strengthening public trust in the Party and government, and fostering social consensus in the province’s development process.

Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai VFF Ha Anh Dung

According to Chairwoman of Bien Hoa ward VFF Committee Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, the ward VFF Committee has chaired and coordinated the organzation of 29 thematic supervision sessions across various fields. In the new term, one of the four key tasks identified is to improve the quality of supervision and social feedback activities, contributing to building self-governing, united, prosperous, and happy residential communities.

To further strengthen the role of supervision and social criticism, comrade Ha Anh Dung emphasized that the Provincial VFF Committee will strengthen leadership and thoroughly disseminate the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws on supervision and social criticism activities. It will take the initiative to promptly provide information on ongoing activities, especially the formulation and implementation of programs and projects that have impacts on people’s lives, to better serve supervision and social criticism work. Supervision and social criticism will be made a regular activity at all levels of the VFF. The Front will also provide in-depth training on supervision skills for its staff and community supervision groups.

To proactively implement these contents, during the first congress of the commune-level Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 2025–2030 term, delegates unanimously voted to include the goal of “enhancing the quality of supervision and social criticism activities” in the congress resolution.

By Van Truyen – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha