The COVID-19 pandemic does not have to be a crisis for human rights. In the context of widespread adoption of emergency laws and other extraordinary measures to respond to the pandemic, many governments have demonstrated that it is possible to safeguard rights while effectively countering the virus. This briefer shares positive practices that governments should follow in responding to COVID-19, along with selected examples of these practices.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the United States has seen numerous protests, albeit at a relatively small scale. However, an adequate set of rules to protect both the freedom of peaceful assembly and public health have yet to be developed.

In this report, the UNSR on Freedom of Expression registers alarm that some efforts to combat the coronavirus disease pandemic may be failing to meet the standards of legality, necessity, and proportionality. The Special Rapporteur highlights five areas of concern, showing that access to information, independent media, and other free expression rights are critical to meeting the challenges of the pandemic.

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has put together COVID-19 resource hub and open forum for partners to share the resources they are creating and curating.

On April 1, 2020, ICNL hosted Regional Virtual Round Tables for civil society partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to address constraints on key civic freedoms in the rapidly evolving context of the coronavirus pandemic. The meetings resulted in a write-up outlining the discussions and examining various issues. The write-up is available in both English and Spanish.

Driven by a desire to protect the health and wellbeing of their citizens and residents, many governments have taken extraordinary steps to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Some governments have incorporated surveillance technology into their efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19. While the use of all the tools at hand is understandable, emergencies – even COVID-19 – do not obviate states’ obligations to consider the broader societal and human rights effects of these emergency measures.

UNSR Clément Voule issued ten key principles to guide states’ response to a public health crisis. A checklist and survey accompany these principles to assess the implementation by government authorities and other key actors.

Face masks are in the news. The CDC now recommends that Americans wear face masks to reduce transmission of COVID-19, and some localities are mandating wearing them for certain activities, such as entering a grocery store. Yet, at least 18 states and Washington DC have laws that could be used to penalize those who wear face masks.

This database tracks case law, constitutions, and international instruments from around the world that deal with the Right to Health. It is maintained by the Lawyers Collective, an India-based NGO, and the O’Neil Institute at Georgetown Law.

This page provides information on African government responses to the coronavirus, using information from the COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker.