COVID-19 and Human Rights

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary strain on Council of Europe member states. In their effort to protect the right to health and uphold the functioning of their health care systems, they had to impose strict virus containment measures, from full and partial lockdowns to school closures and significant limitations of cultural activities and public life. COVID-19 has thus had dramatic implications for the exercise of human rights in Europe, notably for the freedom of movement, freedom of assembly and the rights to education and private and family life.

The Commissioner has stressed that member states must ensure equal access to essential medical treatment, including testing and vaccines, for all, leaving no one behind and paying particular attention to the special needs of persons belonging to vulnerable groups, such as older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons living in crowded or unsanitary conditions. She has also urged governments to alleviate the enormous pressure faced by health and care professionals, the majority of whom are women, and called for transparency and inclusivity in health communication to promote trust and support for necessary government measures in the population.

Restrictive measures intended to protect public health can be temporarily justified under the condition that they are necessary, effective and proportionate. The proportionality of virus containment measures, such as lockdowns or vaccination mandates,  depends on the severity of the human rights restriction in question and the specific context in the country. It should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and ultimately by the courts, whether they are necessary, effective and the least restrictive means to achieve the desired aim of limiting hospitalisations, grave illness, and death.

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Statement

In times of crises, states should step up their efforts to prevent human trafficking and protect victims

29/07/2022 Strasbourg

Ahead of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, issued the following statement: “We should all remember that Europe is not immune to human trafficking and that certain groups, including women, children and people on the...

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Statement on World Health Day

Inclusive and resilient health care for all – are we closer?

06/04/2022 Strasbourg

It has been over a year since I published my Issue paper on protecting the right to health. In February 2021, as Europe was gripped by the multiple impacts of COVID-19, I addressed recommendations to member states on how to secure access to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental...

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Human Rights Comment

Boosting child and youth participation - from voice to choice

01/07/2021 Strasbourg

Amid the ongoing pandemic and its disastrous effects on multiple aspects of human rights protection across the globe, there is consensus in one area: children and young people have been particularly hard hit. While – thus far at least – they have largely been spared from the direct health effects...

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Speech

Exchange of views with the European Committee of Social Rights

17/05/2021 Strasbourg

Good afternoon to you all and thank you very much for the invitation to this exchange of views! This is the first time that we meet, and the timing is certainly good. Even though there are signs of relief now, at least in Europe, the Covid-19 pandemic has been much more than just a health crisis:...

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Issue Paper

States must act now on their duty to ensure the best attainable standard of physical and mental health for all

19/02/2021 Strasbourg

"For one year now, countries around the world have been battling with the catastrophic consequences of COVID-19. As governments are making mass vaccination their top priority, they should act now to rebuild inclusive health care systems," said today Dunja Mijatović, the Council of Europe...

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Human Rights Comments

Corruption undermines human rights and the rule of law

19/01/2021 Strasbourg

In recent years, in many European countries, including Romania, Malta, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, the Slovak Republic and Ukraine, people have taken to the streets in protests against systemic corruption, demanding respect for the rule of law, accountability of corrupt politicians and a...

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Speech

The impact of COVID-19 on human rights and how to move forward

10/12/2020 Strasbourg

2020 has been a disastrous year for human rights in Europe. While, increasingly, commitment to upholding human rights standards has been faltering all over the continent for several years, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the erosion of the democratic fabric of our society, on which...

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Statement

Member states must give renewed impetus to children’s rights

19/11/2020 Strasbourg

“The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened and widened pre-existing inequalities that undermine children’s ability to enjoy their human rights, including in terms of health, safety, education, and living conditions. There is a clear risk that COVID-19 will have adverse long-term effects on children and...

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Statement

International day of older persons – reflection and reaction needed in the time of the pandemic

01/10/2020 Strasbourg

The international day of older persons is an opportunity to celebrate older persons, their achievements and their continuing contribution to our societies. This year, we are marking this day in the exceptional context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exposed serious failings in all the Council...

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Speech

Protecting refugees in Europe: the ECHR and beyond

22/06/2020 Strasbourg

Video speech given on the occasion of the 20th Berlin Conference on refugee Rights "Europe, Coronavirus and Human Rights - The Significance of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) for the Protection of Refugees" Ladies and gentlemen, Over the past 70 years, the European Convention on...

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Speech

States must give a renewed impetus to realising human rights for all

03/06/2020 Strasbourg

The Commissioner participated today in the exchange of views organised by the Greek Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. She delivered the following speech: Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, The...

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Statement

Lessons to be drawn from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care facilities

20/05/2020 Strasbourg

After the initial scramble to contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Europe and as the situation slowly improves in the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, Council of Europe member states have to reckon with the grim reality that a substantial number of deaths, up to half according to...

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Joint statement

COVID-19: The suffering and resilience of LGBT persons must be visible and inform the actions of States

15/05/2020 Strasbourg

Statement by human rights experts on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 17 May 2020 Geneva/Washington D.C./Strasbourg, 14 May 2020 On the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) on 17 May 2020, a group of United Nations...

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Statement

COVID-19: Ensure women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights

07/05/2020 Strasbourg

It is already clear that the pandemic will deepen existing gender inequalities, given women’s over-representation in professions (and other unpaid activities) which expose them to a high risk of infection and in low-paid and precarious jobs which will be particularly badly affected by the ensuing...

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Opinon article

Opinion: Coronavirus concerns are not carte blanche to snoop

01/05/2020 Strasbourg

DW, 01/05/2020 As more and more countries resort to using digital tools to monitor and track their citizens, those measures must comply with privacy laws, writes Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. COVID-19 has already killed over 200,000 people in the world....

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