A/HRC/PRST/43/1 Expressing deep concern at the stigmatization, xenophobia, racism and discrimination, including racial discrimination, surfacing in the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world, and stressing the need to combat it, Emphasizing that COVID-19 has become a global pandemic that can only be countered effectively through international cooperation, unity, solidarity and collective action, based on a multilateral approach and strong international institutions, Recognizing with deep concern the impact of high debt levels on countries’ ability to withstand the impact of the COVID-19 shock, Reaffirming the fundamental role of the United Nations system in coordinating the global response to control and contain the spread of COVID-19 and in supporting Member States, and in this regard acknowledging the crucial leading role played by the World Health Organization, Emphasizing the importance of timely, equitable and unhindered access to safe, affordable, effective and quality medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, and other health products and technologies necessary to ensure an adequate and effective response to the pandemic, including for the most vulnerable people affected by armed conflicts, extreme poverty, natural disasters or climate change, and of the urgent removal of unjustified obstacles thereto, Reaffirming that emergency measures taken by Governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic must be necessary, proportionate to the evaluated risk and applied in a non-discriminatory way, have a specific focus and duration, and be in accordance with the State’s obligations under applicable international human rights law, Recognizing the need for all stakeholders to be part of the responses to COVID19, to have access to timely and accurate information online and offline, to be involved in decisions that affect them, and also the need to facilitate contributions by civil society as well as the private sector to these responses, 1. Notes with appreciation the guidance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights-compliant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic1 and the Secretary-General’s policy brief on COVID-19 and human rights entitled “We are all in this together”;2 2. Recognizes the active role of the mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, including the special procedures, as well as the human rights treaty bodies in highlighting the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and offering guidance to States in ensuring a human rights-compliant response to the pandemic; 3. Calls upon States to ensure that all human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled while combating the pandemic, and that their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are in full compliance with their human rights obligations and commitments; 4. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the enjoyment of human rights around the world, including good practices and areas of concern, and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its forty-sixth session; 5. Invites the High Commissioner to give an oral update on the human rights impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the Human Rights Council at its fortyfourth session following the presentation of her annual report, and an oral update at its forty-fifth session to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue; 6. 1 2 2 Decides to remain seized of the matter.” www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/COVID19Guidance.aspx. www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/un_policy_brief_on_ human_rights_and_covid_23_april_2020.pdf.