He stressed the need for governments to be transparent, responsive and accountable
Releasing a report on how human rights can and must guide COVID-19 response and recovery on April 22, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned against repressive measures taken by states against coronavirus.
He said, “Against the background of rising ethno-nationalism, populism, authoritarianism and a pushback against human rights in some countries, the crisis can provide a pretext to adopt repressive measures for purposes unrelated to the pandemic.”
Furthermore, he stressed the need for governments to be transparent, responsive and accountable and emphasised the essential role Civil society organizations and the private sector in handling such crises.
He also highlighted that the impacts of coronavirus have been disproportionate for some communities.
“We see the disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response,” he said.
“The best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law,” he added.
