Objectification of Corona-virus Pandemic: The Conundrum of Promoting International Human Rights in Africa

Abstract

The emergence of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has led to the derogation of human rights such as the right to freedom of movement and freedom of assembly ordinarily guaranteed by the extant provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) 1981 on the grounds of a public health emergency. This article seeks to examine the problem of protecting international human rights norms enshrined under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) 1981 amid the necessity of preserving public health and safety by sovereign States Parties to the charter sequel to the unprecedented outbreak of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) around the world. This article adopting the doctrinal research methodology peruses relevant provisions of the ACHPR and highlights areas of its derogation owing to the pandemic. The article finds that the outbreak of COVID-19 gave impetus to the execution of a series of emergency measures such as the closure of schools, workplaces, businesses, and social amenities across the several African States. This state of affairs was exacerbated by several human rights infractions such as gender-based violence, police brutality, torture, extrajudicial killings, and freedom of worship and assembly restrictions. Therefore, the article makes a case for state and non-state actors to take proactive measures to ensure human rights provisions enshrined under the ACHPR 1981 are duly respected, taking into account the necessity of protecting public health and safety amidst the outbreak of COVID-19 across the African Continent.