GC Human Rights Preparedness

As we celebrate having survived COVID-19, one distinct contrast remains—vaccination levels vary widely throughout the world. While most global north countries have hit their targets, Africa lags far behind, making it too early to abandon precautionary measures.

It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic presents a threat to international peace and security, particularly in Africa, which continues to shoulder the bulk of world hostilities and intrastate armed conflict. A conversation around strategies to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 in this context is therefore critical.

People living with HIV can face difficulties in accessing HIV/AIDS treatments and services; restrictive measures adopted by states in combating the COVID-19 pandemic aggravate their circumstance. The impact of these measures poses a substantial threat to health systems and programmes designed to fast track the elimination of HIV/AIDS by 2030.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted barriers to Internet access in Africa. Overcoming these barriers requires more attention to human rights-based approaches and creative collaborations.

The emergence of coronavirus has meant an increased dependence on technology. What does this mean for gender equality and the human rights of African women with limited use and access to the internet?