A prominent non-governmental rights organization on Thursday urged governments to maintain respect for human rights in their efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2020) A prominent non-governmental rights organization on Thursday urged governments to maintain respect for human rights in their efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report titled "Human Rights Dimensions of COVID-19 Response," outlining obligations of the authorities and containing a set of recommendations on how they could address the coronavirus pandemic without violating human rights.
"As governments are starting to scale-up their public health response, the threat posed by COVID-19 is reason to reaffirm, not abandon, everyone's rights," Kenneth Roth, the HRW executive director, said in a statement.
HRW called on governments to refrain from adopting severe restrictions on personal liberty, opting for them only when necessary and relying on voluntary actions by the public.
"When quarantines or lockdowns are imposed, governments are obligated to ensure access to food, water, health care, and care-giving support. They should address the special concerns of people in prisons, jails, and migrant detention centers, older people, and people with disabilities in institutions," the watchdog added.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, HRW has been drawing attention to its impact on human rights worldwide.
