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PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN TIMES OF COVID-19
A brief overview of statements and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms
The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) has documented and compiled the following existing public statements issues by the UN human rights mechanisms and experts, to assist and support our partners in guaranteeing human rights protection and monitoring human rights-compliance of governments’ action in addressing the COVID-19 outbreak.
You can find a landing page for these recommendations in the ISHR website or by clicking here. Both this document and the webpage will be regularly updated with the most recent statements.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has created a landing page (access here) for the different statements issued by the Special Procedures experts, the Treaty Bodies committees, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, or the Office itself. We have prepared a summary of the key concerns and recommendations raised in these statements
Some of the resources below also exist in several or all other UN official languages, including in Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or Russian. The translations are regularly updated, please check regularly here.
Amnesty International
- 25 May 2020 Op-ed: COVID-19 gives the African Union a unique opportunity to reclaim its convening power and coordination role
CIHRS
- 26 June 2020 “PALESTINE: Civil Society Submit Appeal to UN Special Procedures Urging Access for Gaza Patients”
- 4 May 2020 (Joint Statement) IMF: Empower Civic Groups Against Covid-19 Corruption Public Oversight Key to Monitoring Emergency Funding
- 1 May 2020 “Palestine: 87 Organizations Sign Open Letter Calling for the Protection of Palestinian Workers During and After COVID-19”
- 30 April 2020 Libya The Cairo Institute and the Libya Platform urge the international community to take meaningful steps toward a genuine end to the conflict
- 28 April 2020 Yemen Urgent Measures Needed to Protect Civilians from COVID-19
- 14 April 2020 Al-Haq, CIHRS and 5 other CSOs : Joint Urgent Appeal to the United Nations Special Procedures: “Palestine: Rights and Dignity of Palestinian Workers in Israel Must be Upheld During COVID-19”
- 13 April 2020 Joint Statement by 59 Non-Governmental Organizations on The Announcement of a Temporary Ceasefire in Yemen
- 11 April 2020 192 Organizations Urge UN Security Council to Support Global Ceasefire
HRW
- 9 April 2020 IMF: Make COVID-19 Funds Transparent, Accountable
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- 9 April 2020 ICJ joins in highlighting COVID-19 human rights issues at Human Rights Council
- 8 April 2020 Colombia: COVID-19 policies should include conflict-related measures, especially for human rights defenders
Protection International
Search for Common Ground
- 11 June 2020 Youth & the COVID-19 Crisis in Conflict-Affected Contexts
- 19 May 2020 It’s Not Just About Health: Four Lessons From Ebola for the COVID-19 Response in Conflict-Affected Countries
- May 2020 Gender & the COVID-19 Crisis in Conflict-Affected Contexts
- 22 April 2020 – Search for Common Ground and World Vision International – POLICY BRIEF: COVID-19 & Conflict Sensitivity
- 3 April 2020 COVID-19: Peacebuilders aren’t the side dish. We’re the delivery service
World Vision
European Commission Coronavirus Response
European Parliament
Council of Europe web portal
CoE Commissioner for Human Rights
FRA
OECD
African Union Covid-19