GC Human Rights Preparedness

Welcome to our first Curated series, which looks at the relationship between science and human rights, with particular reference to COVID-19.

The Inter-American Commission (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court) are responding to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on human rights.

What would constitute a first step in a human-rights based approach to the global allocation of pandemic vaccines? One possibility would be to encourage states parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to acknowledge their indirect obligations of participation and diligence.

The African Commission has emerged as a key voice promoting a continent-wide human rights response to COVID-19, while urging a shift in focus to tackle the massive underlying structural inequalities starkly exposed by the pandemic.

Human rights crises emerge at the local level. Local governments are now at the forefront of human rights implementation and protection. A human rights-based approach to responding to the inevitable next emergency will depend on the preparedness of local governments.

"Home is not where you were born; home is the place where all your desires for escape, cease." Naguib Mahafoud

In 2015 a flow of migrants and refugees seemed to suddenly take Europe by surprise. It led to violations of human rights and loss of lives. What were the reasons behind and how could Europe have prepared better?