Event information

20 May 2020, 15:00-16:30

How to prevent COVID-19 becoming a humanitarian disaster in the context of conflict situations, refugee and IDP populations?

Right On

The Corona Pandemic and countermeasures taken by governments are already exacerbating the situation of persons living in situations of armed conflicts and in particular those trying to escape from persecution, misery, and/or armed conflict – whether within or across national borders.

Internally displaced persons and refugees are particularly vulnerable to the rapid spread of COVID-19 because they can hardly comply with measures of confinement and/or social distancing and have limited access to healthcare facilities. In Syria, Yemen and many other places affected by armed conflict, healthcare facilities have also been destroyed or degraded, and there is a significant shortage of medical equipment and medical professionals. This shortage is aggravated by a decline in the delivery of humanitarian and development aid – in the immediate due to problems in shipping and transportation, but in the long term probably also by changing priorities of donor funding.

Persons already vulnerable face immense threats, whether due to the degrading situation in camps or the impossibility to leave zones of conflict altogether. Many western countries have opted for a policy of closed borders to protect their populations from further spread of COVID-19. This includes suspension of migratory and refugee management and a factual break-down of the asylum system.

The discussion of those humanitarian challenges will also contrast in legal terms states’ obligations of due diligence to prevent the further spread of the virus with states’ obligations under international law, concerning asylum, refugee and migration management, including based upon human rights law. It will also look back into how these issues were tackled in past situations of pandemics.

Moderator

  • Annyssa Bellal, Strategic Adviser on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Senior Research Fellow, Geneva Academy
  • Andrew Fagan, Director, Human Rights Centre, University of Essex

Panelists

  • Mohammed Al-Hadid, President, Jordan Red Crescent
  • Cédric Cotter, Researcher, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  • Geoff Gilbert, Professor of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, School of Law and Human Rights Centre, University of Essex
  • Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
  • Marriët Schuurman, Director Stability and Humanitarian Aid, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Registration

To join the discussion, you need to register here.

‘Right On’: The Wednesday Web Chat

‘Right On’ is a new digital initiative – co-organized by the Geneva Academy, the Geneva Human Rights Platform, the Geneva Internet Platform, the DiploFoundation, the Universal Right Group, the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex, as well as the Permanent Missions of Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands to the United Nations in Geneva  –  that will keep the human rights dialogue going during these COVID-19 times.

Every Wednesday at 15:00, experts and practitioners will discuss key human rights issues related to the current health crisis.

Video

Right On: How to prevent COVID-19 becoming a humanitarian disaster in the context of conflict situations, refugee and IDP populations?

In this online event of the ‘Right On’ digital initiative, panelists discussed how the Corona Pandemic and countermeasures taken by governments are already exacerbating the situation of persons living in situations of armed conflicts and in particular those trying to escape from persecution, misery, and/or armed conflict – whether within or across national borders.

Right On Partners Updated

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Durkhanay Ijaz at her desk News

Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict: What Participants Say Durkhanay Ijaz

23 May 2022

Durkhanay Ijaz is a Legal Advisor at the International Committee of the Red Cross in Pakistan and is following our Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict online.

Read more

Home page of the forum News

Our Director Professor Gaggioli Participated in the European Humanitarian Forum

24 March 2022

Our Director Professor Gloria Gaggioli participated in the European Humanitarian Forum that took place in Brussels from 21 to 23 March 2022.

Read more

Afghanistan, Parwan detention facility. Inside a room where detainees of the prison, separated by an acrylic glass, are allowed to meet with their families a couple of times per year with the help of the ICRC employees who facilitate the programme. Short Course

Preventing and Combating Terrorism

Spring 2023

This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, discusses the extent to which states may limit and/or derogate from their international human rights obligations in order to prevent and counter-terrorism and thus protect persons under their jurisdiction.

Read more

Côte d'Ivoire,  Abidjan, military instruction center in Akandjé. An ICRC dissemination session on international humanitarian law for the 1st bataillon of commando paratroopers. Short Course

The Implementation of International Humanitarian Law

Spring 2023

This short course, which can be followed in Geneva or online, will cover the ‘nuts and bolts’ of implementation, including national legislation, dissemination and training, and discuss the mechanisms such as the International Fact-Finding Commission, as set out in the treaties.

Read more

Screen Shot of Obsolete, a game made for the 7DFPS project in 7 days. Download for PC and Mac Project

Disruptive Military Technologies

Started in February 2020

This project aims at staying abreast of the various military technology trends; promoting legal and policy debate on new military technologies; and furthering the understanding of the convergent effects of different technological trends shaping the digital battlefield of the future.

Read more

Cover of the Publication Publication

The Future Digital Battlefield and Challenges for Humanitarian Protection: A Primer

published on April 2022

Henning Lahmann

Read more