COVID-19: A primer on Human Rights and International Health Regulations

Dr. Garima Tiwari

Picture Credits: Ontario Human Rights Commission 

The outbreak of coronavirus ( COVID-19)  first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China has created a worldwide scare and has highlighted the global vulnerability to all nations alike.  It has been declared as a “ public health emergency of international concern”. With the propensity of the disease to spread rapidly, ad-hoc emergency measures are being taken and laws and policies are being implemented relating to health measures, isolations, and travel bans. This pandemic clearly raises concerns regarding the viability of the international legal instruments in place to cater to such situations. Human rights concerns like the right to health, liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement all have come to test. Continue reading