About the Principles

In the face of the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, the Global Health Law Consortium and the International Commission of Jurists convened a diverse group of expert jurists, scholars, and practitioners of public health and human rights united to clarify the principles and obligations of human rights in the context of public health emergencies.

Recognizing the critical need for guidance on the matter, these experts engaged in three years of intensive collaboration and deliberation, culminating in the development of the Principles and Guidelines on Human Rights and Public Health Emergencies (the ‘Principles’). This wide-ranging and authoritative text represents an international consensus-based expert opinion on the most pressing human rights issues related to public health emergencies. It reflects the wisdom of a broad range of perspectives and experiences, and it provides a critical framework for governments, civil society, and other stakeholders to prioritize human rights considerations in the prevention of, preparedness for, and response to public health emergencies, and in the recovery of health systems in the aftermath of public health emergencies.

While the Principles were developed against the backdrop of COVID-19, their applicability extends well beyond this pandemic. The Principles draw upon lessons gathered from past epidemics and pandemics, including Cholera, Dengue, Ebola, HIV and Zika, where inadequate adherence to effective public health policies and human rights obligations led to disastrous outcomes. In so doing, the Principles take a broad view of what might constitute a ‘public health emergency,’ recognizing that while such crises may vary in scope and in nature, safeguarding human rights remains not only a legal obligation, but vital to an effective public health response.