How to guarantee the protection of our fundamental human rights during the Covid-19 crisis?
UN special rapporteur Clement Voule has called on states to involve civil society as a strategic partner in the fight against Covid-19. In these turbulent times, it is crucial that civil society remain closely engaged in ensuring that our most basic human rights are safeguarded. To this end, the UN special rapporteur Voule launched an online tool to help assess domestic and local implementation of human rights principles and recommendations during the covid-19 pandemic.
The tool is comprised of a list of indicators based on the 10 principles issued by the Special Rapporteur on 14 April 2020 as a measure to prevent the shrinking of civic space and the rights to peaceful assembly and association as a result of measures taken by states to stop the spread of Covid-19.
These indicators provide States, civil society and other stakeholders with a tool to assess a State’s compliance with its international obligations regarding the protection of the rights to peaceful assembly and of association during and after Covid-19.
Evaluate a State’s response to Covid-19 using this checklist:
1. Ensuring that the new legal measures respect human rights.
2. Ensuring that the public health emergency is not used as a pretext for infringements of rights .
3. Ensuring democracy is not indefinitely postponed.
4. Ensuring inclusive participation by civil society.
5. Guaranteeing freedom of association and assembly online.
6. Protecting workplace rights to freedom of association and assembly.
7. Ensuring freedom of expression.
8. Securing civil society’s participation in multilateral institutions.
9. Strengthening international solidarity which is needed more than ever.
10. Considering future implications of covid-19 and respond to popular calls for reform.
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