Inequalities in the Covid-19 framework

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
48th session
13 September-8 October 2021

On 27 September 2021, the CETIM participated in a debate organised by the UN Human Rights Council on the exacerbation of inequalities in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among the speakers, we would like to highlight the participation of: Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Joseph E. Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Magdalena Sepúlveda, former UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

In this context, CETIM intervened to draw attention to the history of policies that have led to inequalities and the collapse of public health systems in many countries as a result of the pandemic, while relaying the demands of social movements to remedy them. Read the CETIM’s oral statement

Indeed, the origins of social and economic inequalities lie in a series of political offensives against public services, including health systems around the world, in particular

– the coups of the 1970s and 1980s which led to the imposition of so-called structural adjustment programmes through the IMF and the World Bank

– the sabotage of the decisions of the Alma Ata Conference which provided for public commitment to primary health (the social determinants of health) in the world;

– the accelerated commodification of the public health service and climate injustice.

CETIM has already published two articles on Alma Ata and on inequalities in the face of the pandemic:
Controlling epidemics? WHO had the solution 40 years ago
Human rights in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

In its oral statement, CETIM addressed the issue of inequality in access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the global pandemic. In this respect, read also the international appeal co-signed by CETIM to end the private patent system.