Could the global lockdown be an ongoing loss of personal freedom? – this and other thoughts – a matter of reflection in the face of Human Rights Day.

by Christine Peer-Valenta, SI representative UN Vienna, part of our series of blogs on the Beijing Platform for Action.

“In terms of human rights, this year it is impossible not to also consider the current situation, particularly the global health crisis.

Human rights as the basis for justice and peace are under increasing pressure. Against the background of the current challenges between the responsibility of governments to solve the global health problem and the future perspectives for the population due to extreme lockdown measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more! OHCHR | What are Human Rights

Beyond the alarming increase in the already existing so called ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence against women and girls, and other vulnerable groups, the pandemic raises various kinds of difficulties, both on a personal and societal level, and highlights underestimated human rights issues.

‘Which basic and human rights can the far-reaching consequences of the pandemic affect’, is a basis for intensive discussions by people in positions of responsibility, but also by people, who strictly are denying the virus.

The right of freedom/of movement. Almost all global measures include country-internal exit and contact ban as well as restrictions. Exit bans mean that public spaces may no longer be entered without a justifying exception being given. Are these orders constitutional? Is that democracy? A vocal opinion sector responded with a loud ‘No way!’ Could the global lockdown be an ongoing loss of personal freedom?

A number of other basic and human rights are affected by the measures and related closure orders:

The freedom of religion – no worship service is possible.

The right of freedom of assembly and association.

Right to data protection – Of course, the data of Covid patients is important because of the risk of infection, but how is this treated further? Cybercrime has become a huge business globally.

The right to education – when Schools and Universities are closed; home schooling is frequent and in the hands of the family, predominantly in the hands of women. But what about Internet access?

The report How Many Children and Youth Have Internet Access at Home notes a lack of access amongst young people aged between 15-24 years old, with 759 million, or 63 per cent unconnected at home. ‘That so many children and young people have no internet at home is more than a digital gap –it is a digital canyon,’ said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. ‘Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures.’

The right of labour. We all know the dramatic economic situation. Whole regions around the world that have made progress in eradicating poverty and reducing inequality have been set back years, in a matter of months. The economic consequences of the pandemic affect everyone, but especially those with caring responsibilities, who are mostly women.

For countless women in economies of every size, along with losing income, unpaid care and domestic work burden has exploded. While everyone is facing unprecedented challenges, women are bearing the brunt of the economic and social fallout of COVID-19. COVID-19 and its economic toll on women: The story behind the numbers | UN Women – Headquarters

The right to live in dignity free of violence – Women’s rights are human rights is at the heart of SI  and is the focus of Soroptimist International President Sharon Fisher‘s Appeal SI Road to Equality 2019-21 – Soroptimist International, widely presented on 10 December International Day of Human Rights/ Soroptimist Day.

Violence against Women – In 1993 the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action recognised that the elimination of violence against women in public and private life is a human rights obligation OHCHR | Violence against women

Already mentioned is the growing shadow pandemic of violence against women. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front line, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified.

The Shadow Pandemic: Violence against women during COVID-19 | UN Women – Headquarters

Much more could be mentioned, however no further examples need to be given. The pandemic is a danger to all of us but there are many groups of people who are in an especially vulnerable position or highly exposed to it.

Older persons find themselves in a high-risk group, they have paid a heavy toll, isolated from their families and the rest of the community. People who were poor before became poorer. Women and girls suffer more on violence than ever.

Those who were disadvantaged faced even greater disadvantages. Many people with disabilities depend on the support of others in their daily activities, is the continuity and security of this support guaranteed during the crisis? People living in facilities such as prisons are at high risk of infection and should be given protective measures.

Those who are homeless are extremely vulnerable; social distancing and safety measures for homeless shelters are likely to be ‘all but impossible’. The living conditions of many Roma remain inadequate with limited access to water and sanitation, and a great number of refugees and migrants find themselves in a similar situation.

If the rights of these people had not been neglected in the past, the consequences of the pandemic would likely have been less dire.

So what are the limits and conditions under which infringements of human rights, can be justified?

There are many people who personally feel extremely compelled by the lockdown, others who fear economic disaster, and those who have fallen into a deep depression.

Some people rebel against measures and restrictions, despite the fact that new data on the risks of the pandemic are available almost daily. Platforms speak of dictatorship, unconstitutional encroachment on civil rights and violence against human rights and they call up against the corona madness.

For the future, then, it seems unlikely that the most dramatic curtailments of personal liberty will continue.

As soon as the restrictions are lifted, those responsible must deal with the question of how the pandemic has exacerbated the existing threats to the human rights of vulnerable groups, but also identify possible paths for a democratic and human rights-compliant restoration.

We need more equality. Indeed, in the face of the pandemic, we were not all the same.

It is a must that the impact of human rights be implemented worldwide. We can no longer wait for human rights to become a reality for all. We now need new impulses. We must step up our efforts to promote human rights in our societies, with an emphasis on equal enjoyment of social and economic rights and equal access to health care, education and gender equality.

No country on its own can solve the complex human rights problems that this health crisis brings, nor those that will accompany future crises. Governments, NGOs and civil society should stand together and work together to find common solutions to new impetus for the pursuit of realising human rights and promoting the economic and social progress of our society.

However, human rights and health go hand-in-hand – It is obvious that all people have the right to protection of their health against the pandemic.

Goal+3 – Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages (SDGs)

With virus control measures, governments restrict fundamental and human rights, and yet, at the same time, people have the right to protection and support in solving crises, it is a legal obligation.

So this is a tight line between legitimate human rights restrictions, and human rights violations.

2020, united humanity in a global fight against the virus, and it was a year full of challenges. The pandemic was the reason to define a common global goal – that being – to contain the health crisis.

Now it should be time for multilateralism, to find another global focus.

Everyone has to know and respect the Human rights and it should be everyone’s will to fight for Human Rights, and to achieve the 2030 Agenda, especially gender equality, and to finally stop violence against women and girls.

For a life of freedom, peace and dignity that no one is left behind”.