Social Rights in times of pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic and the related measures and restrictions brought social rights under an enormous strain all over Europe. Above all, the pandemic exposed starkly the weaknesses of public health services and the pressing need to make them effective and accessible to everyone. The challenge for our society as a whole is unprecedented, but the most vulnerable among us find themselves in the eye of the storm, taking blows, full force. The consequences will last, and social rights may well suffer aftershocks. The European Social Charter, our most important human rights treaty in the area of social rights which includes a unique monitoring tool – the collective complaints procedure – is therefore an indispensable element to accompany economic recovery while ensuring compliance with a comprehensive array of social rights.
Karin Lukas, President of the European Committee of Social Rights





Department of Social Rights
Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law
Council of Europe
1, quai Jacoutot
F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tél. +33 (0)3 90 21 55 23
www.coe.int/socialcharter