Impact of COVID-19 on human rights in Ukraine

This thematic report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the impact of COVID-19 on human rights in Ukraine covers the period from 20 February 2020, when a group of persons1 evacuated from Wuhan, China, was brought to Ukraine, to 6 December 2020. It is based on the work of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).

The report pays particular attention to the impact of COVID-19 on economic and social rights with emphasis on persons and groups in vulnerable situations and at risk of being left behind. It aims to inform duty-bearers and rights holders in Ukraine and the international community and to recommend targeted actions enabling the Government and other actors to build back better through their pandemic response. While it does not provide a comprehensive account of all violations of economic and social rights that occurred during the reporting period, it provides an overview of key human rights issues related to the pandemic. As the number of infections in Ukraine rises and new response measures are introduced, further human rights issues are expected to emerge.