47th session of the Human Rights Council
Item 2
Interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the central role of the State in responding to pandemics and other health emergencies, and the socioeconomic consequences thereof
(Geneva, June 21, 2021)
Madam President,
Ukraine welcomes the report of the High Commissioner with a thorough analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ensuring human rights throughout the world. We support the call for intensified efforts to integrate human rights-based approach into health emergency preparedness, responses and recovery efforts.
We support the emphasis by the High Commissioner on the importance of availability of comprehensive data for ensuring evidence-based response. Unfortunately, there is a lack of reliable information about the epidemiological situation in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. This does not allow to adequately assess the situation there and impedes actions by the Government to counteract the spread of the COVID-19 and to ensure the provision of relevant health services. We encourage the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to continue to pay proper attention to these challenges and to the responsibility of the occupying Power in this regard.
Access to vaccines is an important component of the right to health and should be seen as part of efforts aimed at achieving universal health coverage by 2030. In that vein, we advocate for an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in a spirit of global solidarity. Ukraine also supports the need for a new pandemic treaty to better cope with this and future health emergencies.
Thank you.