Promoting a fair and equitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social and health inequities and demonstrated how sex, gender and other social stratifiers (such as age, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, geography, legal status and other health conditions) result in differential risks and outcomes of COVID-19.
Studies find higher rates of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality for racial and ethnic minorities, and refugees. In addition, data on the human rights impacts of COVID-19 indicate that in some contexts, migrants, ethnic and religious minorities, Indigenous communities, prisoners, LGBTIQ+ communities and other vulnerable and marginalized populations have not received appropriate public health safeguards to reduce the risk of transmission. Some of these population groups have also been the targets of hate speech, discrimination and in some cases violence as a result of apparent blame for COVID-19, underscoring the need for a rights-based approach to COVID-19.
The indirect impacts of COVID-19 have also been very different across population groups.
The WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) calls for a gender-responsive and equitable response based on a respect for human rights. This includes a recommendation that all countries conduct a substantive gender, equity and inclusion analysis, grounded in human rights standards and principles, to inform baseline assessment, design, planning and implementation.
