On Friday 29 May 2020 at 11:00 Linda Cottone, PhD
candidate at the UAB and member of IOM Libya Research, will give a conference
on the impact of COVID19 on migration.
The seminar will unfold the human dimension of this global health crisis hitting our societies at the core, with the aim to provide a legal analysis of the compression of the fundamental human rights by States to respond effectively to the emergency, according to their duty to protect.
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the life of everyone. States adopted unprecedented measures to contain the spread of the virus, including enforced quarantine, curfews, lockdowns, travel restrictions, border closure and limitations of the economic activities and gatherings in public generally. Despite all these enforcement measures and increased presence of the police at the borders and in the streets are de facto required as a priority to ensure public health, expectedly they are far from fostering the attainment of higher protection standards for the individuals under their jurisdiction. In fact, these States actions are having adverse effects on people lives, their livelihood and the economy. While the pandemic affects all segments of the population, it is especially harmful for the most vulnerable groups of the society: women, youth, low-wage workers and people on the move including displaced populations, migrants and refugees.
The seminar will be structured in three sessions: (1) the balance between States’ obligations and upholding human rights (2), the risks of exploitative situations (3) and migrants and the impact of COVID-19 on the access to education, livelihood, employment, remittances and housing.
The session will be held through Microsoft Teams and will be given in English. Those who are interested in attending to the seminar should send an email before 26 May with their name and the institutional email of the UAB to the following address: cristina.blasi@uab.cat
