CITIZENS’ SUPERVISION RIGHTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ANTI-CORRUPTION IN VIETNAM: CURRENT SITUATION AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

This paper explores citizens' supervision rights in anti-corruption efforts within Vietnam's environmental sector, focusing on legal foundations, implementation gaps, and reform directions.Although the 2013 Constitution and related laws affirm the public's right to monitor state agencies, practical enforcement remains limited due to vague procedures, weak institutional capacity, and inadequate whistleblower protections.In the environmental context, barriers such as restricted access to information, low public awareness, and insufficient civic infrastructure hinder effective oversight.To address these challenges, the paper recommends legal reforms to clarify supervisory mechanisms, the establishment of a national reporting platform for environmental violations, enhanced protection for whistleblowers, and greater support for civil society and media engagement.Promoting civic education and participatory governance is also crucial.Realizing citizens' supervision rights in a substantive not symbolic manner is essential to making environmental anti-corruption a shared responsibility, thereby advancing transparency, accountability, and democratic environmental governance in accordance with the rule of law.