COVID-19 & the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Southern Africa
Date of Publication
2020 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Human Rights
Keywords
Human Rights, human rights, COVID-19, indigenous populations, South Africa
Description
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on Southern Africa’s struggling health systems and other public services, impacting people’s lives, health and livelihoods. It has had a disproportionate effect on the most marginalized and vulnerable groups. These include persons with disabilities, those living with chronic health conditions, and people facing social and economic vulnerability such as women, young people and indigenous peoples, often left on the margins of society. Government measures in response to the pandemic have seldom considered the needs of marginalized communities and have affected their fundamental rights and freedoms. Although the pandemic appears to have waned or not taken as much of a hold in Africa,1 a second wave of infections in other parts of the world such as Europe, parts of Asia and the United States makes it likely that the continent will remain at risk of further waves of infection. This necessitates responses that respect the rights of all people.
COVID-19 & the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Southern Africa
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on Southern Africa’s struggling health systems and other public services, impacting people’s lives, health and livelihoods. It has had a disproportionate effect on the most marginalized and vulnerable groups. These include persons with disabilities, those living with chronic health conditions, and people facing social and economic vulnerability such as women, young people and indigenous peoples, often left on the margins of society. Government measures in response to the pandemic have seldom considered the needs of marginalized communities and have affected their fundamental rights and freedoms. Although the pandemic appears to have waned or not taken as much of a hold in Africa,1 a second wave of infections in other parts of the world such as Europe, parts of Asia and the United States makes it likely that the continent will remain at risk of further waves of infection. This necessitates responses that respect the rights of all people.
