| Knowledge-Net for a Better World |
May 2020 |
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ADRN Special Issue Briefing Series
COVID-19 and Human Rights Violations
Bazarvaani Ariunbayar, Academy of Political Education
Pradip Pariyar, Samata Foundation |
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| "How did COVID-19 bring about human rights violations in Nepal and Mongolia?" |
COVID-19 has dominated the news in the majority of countries globally for the first quarter of 2020. It has results in hundreds of thousands of deaths and over three million cases—as of now—wreaking havoc on all aspects of society, including, of course, the economy and politics. The countries affect by COVID-19 include those where the members of the Asia Democracy Research Network (ADRN) reside. Some of these countries have officially announced lockdowns of cities or the entire country, with economic activities slowing or grinding to a near-total halt. The impact of the pandemic has not been limited to healthcare and quarantine issues. It has also led to an increasing number of social issues, including human rights violations. Human rights violations are well-known to be strongly linked to democracy issues. ADRN presents two articles on COVID-19 from a human rights perspective on what has happened to democracy in Nepal and Mongolia as a result of the pandemic.
1. COVID-19 and Human Rights Violation in Mongolia by Bazarvaani Ariunbayar
2. COVID-19 and Human Rights Violation in Nepal by Pradip Pariyar
Mr. Bazarvaani Ariunbayar from the Academy of Political Education focuses his discussion on the human rights of Mongolian citizens stranded abroad, as well as the political rights of the country’s residents. He points out that there are currently two clashing opinions on whether to bring Mongolian citizens abroad back to Mongolia as some argue that these citizens have the right to return, while others argue that those already in Mongolia have the right to be free of infections imported from abroad. He further notes that President of Mongolia Kh. Battulga has addressed the centralization of public administration during this pandemic and subsequently been accused of attempting to undermine democracy, human rights, and freedom in Mongolia.
Mr. Pradip Pariyar argues that the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in numerous human rights violations in Nepal, using the Chepang Community as one example. He explains that this community is the most marginalized indigenous community and has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Most people in this region are illiterate and are employed in informal industries, meaning they have suffered from the shutdown of economic activity more than most. Throughout his paper, he discusses what the pandemic has meant for different marginalized communities in Nepal. While COVID-19 is a serious problem for everyone, it is more dangerous for the socially marginalized as they lack basic human rights such as access to healthcare. |
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