The National Human Rights Commission issued advisories to concerned ministries and States/UTs in context of the Covid-19 pandemic on October 6, 2020.
The Committee of Experts on Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Human Rights and Future Response recommended Human Rights Advisories for rights of prisoners, police, informal workers, businesses and future response teams.
Among the aforementioned, workers were the most talked-about topic during the lockdown as thousands of people from the informal sector migrated from urban areas to their villages – a phenomenon widely reported by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) in its Migrant Diaries series. After the lockdown, the Centre failed to present relevant data to assess the impact of the pandemic on the informal sector.
Similarly, police and medical workers laboured as the forefront warriors during the pandemic. However, the government said it did not record data on the death of medical workers or sanitation workers. There were also reports of political prisoners being denied bail despite the vulnerable situation in prisons.
The NHRC created the Committee to assess the impact of the pandemic on these people and other marginalised sections that were affected disproportionately. As public servants, it is the responsibility of the government to assess the effects of the pandemic on the country.
Accordingly, the Commission also requested concerned ministries to implement the advisories’ recommendations and send a report detailing so to the NHRC. The Commission recently expressed deep concern about the rights of the vulnerable and marginalised sections of the society affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown.
Related:
MHA: Over 200 still detained under PSA in J&K
Now, Smriti Irani says no data on anganwadi workforce!
No data, so no compensation: Centre’s shocking revelation on migrant labourer deaths!
MGNREGS under microscope: Members of Parliament ask for detailed performance report of scheme