A/HRC/RES/44/2
respecting national policies and priorities, and that the Sustainable Development Goals and
their targets are universal and involve the entire world, developed and developing States
alike,
1.
Underscores the central role of the State in responding to pandemics and other
health emergencies, and the socioeconomic consequences thereof in advancing sustainable
development and the realization of all human rights;
2.
Reaffirms the importance of international cooperation, in particular during
times of health emergencies and pandemics, on the basis of mutual respect, in full compliance
with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, with full respect for
the sovereignty of States while taking into account national priorities;
3.
Also reaffirms that emergency measures taken by States in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic must be in accordance with States’ obligations under applicable
international human rights law;
4.
Stresses the need for States to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, to take
collective action in response to pandemics and health emergencies, and the socioeconomic
consequences thereof, in advancing sustainable development and the realization of all human
rights;
5.
Calls for universal, timely and equitable access to and fair distribution of all
quality, safe, efficacious and affordable essential health technologies and products, including
their components and precursors required in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a
global priority, and the urgent removal of unjustified obstacles thereto, in accordance with
the provisions of relevant international treaties, including the provisions of the World Trade
Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS
Agreement) and its flexibilities, as confirmed by the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS
Agreement and Public Health;
6.
Emphasizes 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 conflict, extreme
poverty, natural disasters or climate change, and of the urgent removal of unjustified
obstacles thereto;
7.
Recognizes the role of extensive immunization against COVID-19 as a global
public good for health for preventing, containing and stopping transmission in order to bring
the pandemic to an end once safe, quality, efficacious, effective, accessible and affordable
vaccines are available;
8.
Reiterates the critical importance of the means of implementation of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development, while being mindful of the impact of high debt levels
on States’ ability to withstand the impact of the pandemic and other health emergencies, and
the socioeconomic consequences thereof, in advancing sustainable development and the
realization of all human rights;
9.
Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, working
within existing efforts across the United Nations system, and in consultation with States, to
conduct a needs assessment, in particular for developing countries, to support their efforts to
promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in responding to pandemics and
other health emergencies, and the socioeconomic consequences thereof, in advancing
sustainable development and the realization of all human rights, and to submit a report
thereon to the Human Rights Council at its forty-seventh session during an interactive
dialogue, and to provide an oral update to the Council at its fiftieth session, also during an
interactive dialogue;
10.
Decides to remain seized of the matter.
27th meeting
16 July 2020
[Adopted without a vote.]
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