In times of crisis, human rights must prevail
A statement from the Human Rights Law Centre on COVID-19:
We are living through an unprecedented global crisis that is touching almost every aspect of our lives. Our thoughts are with you, your families, the professionals working on the frontline, and the many people and communities around the country whose lives, livelihoods and human rights are at risk.
In the face of so much change and uncertainty, standing up for kindness, dignity and defending human rights – particularly the rights of the most vulnerable in our community – is more important than ever.
While the Human Rights Law Centre team has decided to work remotely, our work defending human rights will continue unabated.
As governments across Australia adopt emergency powers, we’ll monitor them closely to make sure these powers are time bound, proportionate and don’t undermine the foundations of our democracy and exacerbate inequality for years to come.
We’ll stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations calling on the Government to respond swiftly and appropriately to the acute risks the COVID-19 pandemic poses to the lives and health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote communities.
We’ll demand that our governments take action now to ensure that thousands of Australians are not plunged into poverty and homelessness by the economic fallout of this crisis.
We’ll stand with refugees separated from their loved ones and trapped in detention centres where squalid conditions place them at unacceptable risk.
We’ll stand with people in prisons, who are already subjected to overcrowding, inhuman conditions and substandard healthcare.
And we’ll stand with women who are disproportionately impacted due to being overrepresented in care roles, both at work and at home.
Most importantly, we’ll stand together to ensure the principles of equality, dignity and fairness prevail.
Thank you for your support.
Ruth Barson and Daniel Webb
Acting Co-Executive Directors
Human Rights Law Centre
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