A/HRC/PRST/43/1 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 2 June 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-third session Agenda item 1 Organizational and procedural matters Statement by the President PRST 43/1. Human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic On 29 May 2020, the President of the Human Rights Council made the following statement: “The Human Rights Council, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Deeply concerned about the loss of life and livelihoods and the disruption to economies and societies by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights around the world, Emphasizing the importance of human rights in shaping the response to the pandemic, both for the public health emergency and the broader impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, Stressing that States bear the primary responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms, Reaffirming the right of everyone, without distinction of any kind, to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, while emphasizing that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing, Recognizing the efforts made by Governments, as well as by health-care workers, the majority of whom are women, and other essential workers around the world, to deal with the pandemic through measures to protect the health, safety and well-being of their people, and emphasizing the importance of providing health-care and other essential workers with the necessary protection and support, Deeply concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic perpetuates and exacerbates existing inequalities, and that those most at risk are persons in vulnerable and marginalized situations, including older persons, migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, persons belonging to minorities, indigenous peoples, persons deprived of their liberty, homeless persons and persons living in poverty, and recognizing the need to ensure non-discrimination and equality while stressing the importance of age- and gender-responsive and disability-sensitive measures in this regard, GE.20-07318(E) 