An annual report on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on human rights has been published by EU rights agency which says that the pandemic had a profound effect on human rights, as child abuse and incidents involving racism have increased since the past year.
“The pandemic and the reactions it triggered exacerbated existing challenges and inequalities in all areas of life, especially affecting vulnerable groups.”
A report by the Vienna-based Fundamental Rights Agency said.
“It also sparked an increase in racist incidents,” the FRA added, calling the pandemic´s effects on rights “profound”.
In addition to losing jobs owing to strict lockdown measures, the marginalized groups such as Roma, refugees, and migrants were also at higher risk of contamination.
In addition, they were the targets of “racist and xenophobic incidents, including verbal insults, harassment, physical aggression, and online hate speech”, according to evidence collected by the FRA and other groups.
The report further said that in 2020, domestic violence and sexual abuse also increased.
It cited sources in the Czech Republic and Germany as saying that calls to national domestic violence hotlines rose by 50% in the former and by 20% in the latter between March and June last year.
Child sexual abuse online also increased, FRA said, citing Europol.
The agency urged countries to tackle the pandemic and its “unprecedented collective challenge” to human rights with “balanced measures that are based on law” and which were “temporary and proportional”.
Along with North Macedonia and Serbia, the report covers the 27 European Union member states.
