GC Human Rights Preparedness

Containing the spread of COVID-19 means curtailing some human rights. However, questions must be raised when governments allow people to attend large sporting events and sit indoors in restaurants and bars but ban partners from prenatal consultations and childbirth.

The COVID-19 pandemic is both global and local at the same time. To fight the pandemic, it takes global efforts, collaboration across all national borders, and it will only be successful if local and individual actors complete the efforts.

Cameroon is currently facing several human rights protection concerns. The Northern regions suffer from Boko Haram insurgency, the East registers attacks from Central African Republic rebels, and the Northwest and Southwest are facing a violent conflict. Coupled with COVID-19, human rights response has been severely affected.

In Italy, the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionately negative socio-economic impact on trans persons. With an increase in unemployment rates and discriminatory dynamics, and a pause in pivotal debates at institutional and social level, the already limited space given to trans workers has become narrower and narrower.

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasises the importance of integrating refugees into local communities. Doing so is a form of preparedness.

Human rights activists have to resist governments using COVID-19 to discriminate further against the already persecuted LGBTIQ+ community in a continent where traditionalists view sexual minorities as un-African and hate speech from extremist religious and political leaders fuels homophobic violence.

We need to develop a human rights-based approach to the design and conduct of science. As part of this, it is vital to include a sex/gender perspective in clinical trials and scientific studies, including in the development of new vaccines.