Covid 19 Deleterious ascendancy over Human Rights: India
India, the second most populous country in the world, the Emerging and developing Country with around 1.3 Billion people. In the process of out spreading Covid-19 disease, India also get trapped in the radius, when on 30th January, 2020, first case of covid19 patients found in the state of Kerala, when student returned from Wuhan(the parent country of Covid19, where’s it originated and found initially) found infected to Covid-19. From that day, since today there are 582K cases that are rapidly increasing with every next hour. 17,400 patients died due to this pandemic and no one knows when this number will last. Currently, India holds 1st position in Asia and 4th Position in world, for largest number of cases.
Covid19 is a public health emergency, but it is a far more; it is an economic crisis, a social crisis and a human crisis that is fast becoming a human right crisis.
Antonio Guterres,
Secretary General of United Nations.
Introduction:-
Human Rights and Covid19:-
Human Rights are
basically the rights which put people in attention. The whole crisis, India is
going through, it puts human rights and other protecting legal rights into peer
pressure. Women, men, Children, LGBTQ, refugee, migrants, disable person,
youth, old person; everyone faces different impact regarding human right
violation. Apart from different kinds of
fear like economic disturbance, increase in birth rate, unemployment, mental
health issues, increase in divorce rate, etc and outcomes of covid19, it also
put various kinds of human rights violations, which are minor to recognize but
major in their results, like racism, mistreatment with migrant workers, gender
based violence, hate speech, forced return and blame game towards refugees and
other country nationals.
Covid 19 over Human Rights:-
There are Rights which are assumed to be protected throughout this pandemic, but ground reality shows some other side of story. This pandemic somehow left the government with no other choice other than extensive lockdowns, promoting social distance, restricting some of the rights, that are usually free to use. Nationally as well as internationally, there are the set of definite rules, which one have to follow being the citizen of nation. All the good things government executing, in the way to end this pandemic, left some of the loopholes in the form of human right crisis.
Right to health and access of healthcare:-
Article 25 of
Universal Declaration of Human Right, 1948 states “Everyone has the right to a standard living adequate
for the health and well being of himself and of his family, including food,
clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services”. As well as constitution of India, also
contains Article 21, which makes it necessity for every individual.
Due to the population and rapid growth in number of infected patients, there are various issues coming in front of public, where these basic human rights are violated. Currently, the government has all focus over the curing of disease, this decision avoid the one who were already struggling with the life necessity. The majority of public can’t follow the strategy provided by government, not because they don’t or they are against government, the main reason, they can’t wash their hand regularly, because they have limited access of water; they can’t follow social distancing because they live their life in already overcrowding space. Dharavi is one of the relevant examples of this.
Right to Privacy & Freedom of Movement:-
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Freedom of Thought, belief and Religion:-
Article 9 of Universal Declaration of Human Right, 1948 allows every individual to follow their religion, thought and belief system. This lockdown put limits over the practice and attending a Religious ceremony. These restrictions also put human rights violation at some extent.
Freedom of Assembly:-
Lockdown put total
restrictions over any assembly during the time government allots. Any social
gathering for any reason without the permission of authorities is totally
restricted.
Article 11 of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 clearly supports this right, that’s also violated by
Covid19.
Racism, Social Stigmatization, Prejudice:-
Declaration on the Elimination
of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1963 is the set of documents issued by United Nations General
Assembly tracing the issue of racism containing 11 articles. This Pandemic somehow limits all the right
mentioned in this document.
There are many cases
brought to light, where people from north east parts of county trolled by
calling them ‘Coronavirus’ and faced racial dissimilarities due to their
surfacing similarities with the nationals of China, the parent country of
COVID19; where it is originated. Some of
politicians also involved in this racial discrimination.
Various criticizing issues
came during covid19 that those individuals who were founded positive with this
disease and even after recovery; they face social stigmatization and treated as
untouchable. Health workers as well as hospital attendants founded dealing with
mental health in the fear of stigmatization towards them and with their family.
Conclusion:-
“While, unprecedented times may call for unprecedented responses”
Rajan Gogoi,
Former CJI, India.
Covid19 and lockdown are correlative that can’t be avoided as somehow, this is the only way government left with to fight this pandemic. We just have to avail some of the protective measures to protect the human rights. Everyone have to understand that we could only beat the pandemic collectively, by fighting together not fighting with each other. The whole set of rules either Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 or either Rules for fighting Corona Virus, are sufficient , but we just have to implement these rules with proper governance. Proper food, water, sanitation, medical supplies should be provided with proper awareness. There should be proper dashboard to monitor the violation of rights and their remedy.
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