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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a grave threat to health systems worldwide and brought to light the precarious state of human rights in times of public health emergency. The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus exposed deep-seated inequalities within and between societies and magnified the suffering of those already marginalized, including women, girls and disadvantaged communities. Despite urgent and persistent calls to foreground human rights in COVID-19 responses from international organisations, human rights advocates and civil society organizations, human rights were too often neglected or violated in public health prevention, preparedness and response in nearly every country in the world.

In the face of the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, a diverse group of expert jurists, scholars, and practitioners of public health and human rights united to clarify the principles and obligations of human rights in the context of public health emergencies. Recognizing the critical need for guidance on the matter, these experts engaged in three years of intensive collaboration and deliberation, culminating in the development of the Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Public Health Emergencies (the ‘Principles’). This wide-ranging and authoritative text represents an international consensus-based expert opinion on the most pressing human rights issues related to public health emergencies. It reflects the wisdom of a broad range of perspectives and experiences, and it provides a critical framework for governments, civil society, and other stakeholders to prioritize human rights considerations in the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to public health emergencies, and in the recovery of health systems in the aftermath of public health emergencies.