The Age of Extreme: The COVID-19 and Human Rights Crises

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caught the entire world off guard; presenting policy-makers with various thorny issues to address. This article probes the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and human rights. We argue that, on the one hand, there is a growing concern about excessive and disproportionate restrictions on human rights under the guise of 'emergency powers'. On the other, the fact that rights are not taken seriously renders every effort to ward off the infectious disease faltering. Hence, we suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic should serve as a wake-up call for countries to step up their rights commitments. Despite the exceptional nature of the pandemic, human rights must remain at the heart of the States' legal and policy choices.