COVID-19 and Key Human Rights Principles in Practice: State obligations and business’ responsibilities in responding to the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating existing human rights violations, and enabling others. However, it is also stimulating opportunities to further the human rights agenda. A robust framing is needed to hold duty bearers to account, and to help governments and communities to build back better.

This paper provides an overview of the issues through the lens of 5 key human rights principles. It uses a human rights framing to assist governments, business and civil society to understand their obligations and ways they can help manage the impacts of the pandemic.

This is an advance version of the paper for discussion. The paper will be revised to take account of comments and a final version will be published in the coming months.