10 Principles for a Rights-Respecting Response to the Corona Crisis

1. Everyone should be afforded dignity and be treated equally

Dignity entails more than physical well-being; it demands respect for the whole person, including the values and beliefs of individuals and affected communities, and respect for their human rights, including liberty, freedom of conscience and religious observance.”¹ People have the right to be treated equally and there should be no discrimination in enforcement of restrictions or access to treatment or testing.² Policies and practices that address this wide range of social as well physical obligations are the responsibility of the state.

In Greece, hundreds of refugees are living in inhumane and undignified living conditions in Moria camp and the olive grove. Many living without running water and electricity, exposed to the harsh weather conditions. Even as Lesvos reopens after the lockdown, refugees in Moria have limited mobility and extreme limited access to essential needs.

Oxfam is currently active in Lesvos where we run a protection program that, amongst other elements, provides free legal aid to asylum seekers through partner organisations.

3. Everyone should have the right to clean water

This is a public health crisis which requires people to be able to wash their hands frequently to prevent infection. COVID-19 has pulled into sharp relief the necessity and right for every human being to have access to fresh drinking water and sanitation.⁴

The Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s most water-rich country, yet millions of people do not have access to clean water, drinking instead from unprotected water sources that puts them at the risk of contracting deadly water-borne diseases such as cholera.

As the population has grown, so has the demand for water, putting pressure on the few existing water infrastructures in the area. Most of the water sources and wells have been damaged during armed conflicts. Affected families are forced to consume unsafe water from stagnant sources, resulting in risk of diseases like cholera and ultimately loss of life.

Oxfam is providing safe water to prevent cholera-outbreaks and other water-borne diseases. Our work reduces the burden on women and girls and leave them with more time to go to school and undertake other responsibilities in the community. Men and women who are too afraid to walk long distance will be able to access safe water, which is a fundamental right.

5. Everyone should be able to thrive

People have the right to an adequate standard of living including food, water, clothing, and health services.⁶ This is particularly vital during a public health crisis.The coronavirus crisis is decimating incomes and hitting the poorest hardest. Governments and the international community must provide some social protection to enable people to live dignified lives and recover from the impacts of the virus.⁷ Where a country is unable to provide these rights, the humanitarian imperative obliges them to facilitate humanitarian relief and to ensure people can access the aid they desperately need.⁸ Debt relief should be considered to help poorer countries summon the resources to adequately combat the virus in their regions. Coronavirus should never be used as a reason to restrict access to lifesaving aid.

Burkina Faso was already facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with more than 800,000 people displaced in early 2020. More than 2 million people there need urgent humanitarian aid – and now the country must deal with COVID-19.

In Burkina Faso Oxfam and our partners are prioritising assistance for people displaced within the country by conflict as well as the communities hosting them. We aim to improve community knowledge on COVID-19 and prevention measures, and to foster community engagement in the face of this pandemic. We’re improving access to water and sanitation, including building or rehabilitating 107 water points, promoting good hygiene, and supporting local health services in close collaboration with local health authorities. Overall we hope to reach 287,000 people.

7. Everyone should have the right to have their privacy respected

Furthermore, while tracking of mobile devices can play an important contact tracing role to halt the spread of the virus, this emergency measure must only be implemented for a finite period of time and halted completely once the spread of the virus is contained. It is fundamentally important that technology used to track COVID-19 must ensure human rights safeguards and guarantee that the is data handled responsibly so as not to contribute to the creation of a surveillance state.¹¹ An ethical approach that builds that  embeds the politics of consent,  into the culture, design, policies and terms of service of internet platforms should be observed at all times. We call for the inclusion of the voices and experiences of young people in the decisions made about safety and security online and promote their safety, privacy, and access to information.

In early March, when COVID-19 had just hit Kenya, one of the first public health recommendations—along with handwashing and even before mask-wearing or school closures—was to use mobile money. While most Kenyans are well versed with mobile money, nearly half a million people living in Kenya—refugees and asylum seekers—are shut out of using it.

The gap may also stem from a simple failure to update the list of acceptable identity documents in the Kenya Information and Communications Act when, in 2006 the government stopped issuing Alien ID’s to refugees and started issuing Refugee IDs instead. Fixing this, of course, would require that parliament gets involved too. Currently, refugees get around hurdles and restrictions by acquiring SIM cards registered in the name of a Kenyan—maybe a friend, or acquaintance. Kenyan proxies may request a facilitation fee or access and take funds for themselves.

Oxfam are helping to provide legal pathways for refugees to access SIM cards. Which can result in more secure approaches for authorities, as well as for refugees themselves, who don’t have to resort to risky workarounds to get connected.

9. Everyone should enjoy responsible freedom of movement

While some movement restrictions may be necessary to prevent the spread of the virus they must be implemented in a humane and rights respecting way, taking into consideration the specific vulnerabilities and needs of the population and with careful restrictions on their enforcement.¹³ Emergency measures must be proportionate, not -discriminate, have an end-date, and be necessary for public welfare.¹⁴

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) - the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, nearly a quarter of the people live below the poverty line, with their prospects for work, and a safe, healthy life severely limited by the Israeli occupation. 50 percent of the population rely on aid, almost 2 million people are trapped inside Gaza with little access to the most basic services. Millions of Palestinians are denied the right to movement and are separated from their families and opportunities.

Oxfam has been working in the OPT and Israel since the 1950s and established a country office in the 1980s. Oxfam advocates for the rights of communities to stay on their land. Working with partners, our humanitarian and development work helps around 700,000 people in Gaza affected by the crisis and impoverished by the Israeli blockade. We work with farmers and fishermen who are prevented from accessing their livelihoods. We supply safe water and sanitation, help local producers improve the quality of their products and get it to market, work with local civil society to advocate for their rights, and have provided emergency aid during military escalations and floods.