United Nations human rights officials on Tuesday decried the "truly shocking" levels of inequality that have been exposed and exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic—from the unequal availability of vaccines to increases in food and housing insecurity across the globe.
"States must act together, in solidarity, to fairly distribute vaccines and help each other combat the impacts of Covid-19."
—Michelle Bachelet, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
"Data suggest that most people in the poorest countries will need to wait another two years before they are vaccinated against Covid-19," said Mofokeng.
Bachelet also said the pandemic has exposed people around the world to "economic and social shock," with as many as 124 million people pushed into extreme poverty since the worldwide public health crisis began in 2020.
Bachelet noted at Tuesday's panel that according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), "the number of people living with food insecurity had risen by 318 million... amounting to an unprecedented 2.38 billion people."
The level of economic inequality facing countries around the world quickly became apparent when the pandemic began, economist and Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz told the panel, noting that the coronavirus has not been "an equal opportunity virus."
Bachelet reiterated a call that's been heard for months from rights advocates for a pandemic recovery that is "built on the bedrock of human rights and in meaningful consultation with civil society."
“There must be steps to uphold universal healthcare, universal social protections, and other fundamental rights to protect societies from harm, and make all communities more resilient," said the high commissioner.
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams - Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community and was authored by Julia Conley.
Julia Conley | Radio Free (2021-09-29T14:34:01+00:00) UN Experts Denounce ‘Truly Shocking’ Magnitude of Inequality Revealed by Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2021/09/29/un-experts-denounce-truly-shocking-magnitude-of-inequality-revealed-by-pandemic/
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