Protecting human rights and public health in the fight against COVID-19
"We clearly need strong public health responses to protect life during the pandemic. However, we can protect our health while respecting human rights. This is not a zero-sum game," said Michael O'Flaherty, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
The FRA's bulletin "Coronavirus pandemic in the EU: implications for fundamental rights" aims precisely to examine the measures taken by EU Member States to deal with the current pandemic and the challenges that these measures pose to fundamental rights. Four areas were analysed: The impact of the measures on family life, right of movement and assembly, rights at work, health and education; the impact of the strategies undertaken on vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and children, people with pre-existing conditions, Roma, refugees, homeless people, prisoners and people in institutions; the increase in racism linked to the spread of the contagion, in particular towards people believed to be of Asian origin; policies to combat disinformation and to protect personal data. The report therefore highlights approaches to this major challenge that are respectful of rights in order also to provide guidance to other Member States.
This is the first in a series of three comparative quarterly bulletins that FRA intends to publish on this issue. A specific report is also available for each of the 27 EU Member States, edited by the FRANET network of multidisciplinary experts that supports the work of the Agency. The report for Italy was produced by the "Giacomo Brodolini" Foundation, as FRA's national contractor.
