The Covid-19 pandemic has had wide-reaching impacts on people’s human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR), largely due to the measures governments have taken to control the spread of infection. Evidence highlighted by ESCR-Net Monitoring Working Group (MWG) members shows that many of these measures are exacerbating existing structural inequalities further undermining the ESCR of vulnerable groups.
During emergencies, ESCR remain, and states retain legal obligations towards the realisation of ESCR, such as health, education, sanitation, social security, and housing, as well as eradicating discrimination and reducing inequalities in the enjoyment of these rights – all of which require strong monitoring processes and robust data.
This brief draws from discussions with, and statements by, members of the Monitoring WG and other members of ESCR-Net and identifies recommendations to advance a human rights-based approach to data and democratic decision-making in the context of Covid-19, in line with the MWG’s prior work on these issues.
