The Pan American Health Organization released “Promoting health equity, gender and ethnic equality, and human rights in COVID-19 responses: Key considerations” as a “first port of call” for guidance for national health policymakers in their efforts to integrate and enhance equity, gender, ethnicity and human rights considerations and approaches into measures responding to COVID-19.
The risks and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are disproportionately felt by certain groups, especially those living in situations of vulnerability and those who experience discrimination. It is vital that country responses to COVID-19 consider equity, gender, ethnicity, and human rights perspectives to prevent the expansion of inequalities and account for the everyday lived realities of different groups that may affect the success of measures.
The guidance is meant to complement PAHO’s technical documents on COVID-19, and provide links to sources of related information and guidelines, but it is a “living document” and will be updated as additional information, resources and analysis becomes available.