Objectives

This panel discussion will focus on the human rights implications of the lack of affordable, timely, equitable and universal access and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and the deepening inequalities between States. It will examine obstacles to universal access to COVID-19 vaccines, and promising practices and effective strategies adopted by States and other stakeholders in addressing them as well as the challenges of growing inequalities and divergent recoveries from the pandemic.

The panel discussion will provide opportunities for dialogue and sharing commitment for actions by States, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to ensure affordable, timely, equitable and universal access vaccines in the context of pandemics.

View press release | Concept note | Video

Chair: H.E. Mr. Federico Villegas, President of the Human Rights Council

Opening statements:

Opening

• Ms. Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (video message)
• H.E. Mr. Juan-Carlos Holguín, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador (video message)
• H.E. Mr. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan (video message)
• Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (video message)

Panellists:

• Mr. Farid Ahmadov, Associate Professor of Law and Co-founder of the Law Program at ADA University, Azerbaijan (video message)
• Ms. Attiya Waris, Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights
• Mr. Thomas Cueni, Director-General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA)
• Ms. Gita Sen, General Coordinator of Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) (video message)

Speakers:

• Spain
• Norway
• Malaysia
• Guyana
• Côte d'Ivoire
• Ecuador
• Brazil
• European Union
• NAM
• OIC
• Azerbaijan
• Fiji
• High Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation
• Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII
• EMERGENCY - Life Support for Civilian War Victims
• Syrian Arab Republic
• Bangladesh
• Germany
• Senegal
• Belgium
• Ethiopia
• Japan
• China
• Saudi Arabia
• Indonesia
• Cambodia
• Morocco
• Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS) Asociación Civil
• Friends World Committee for Consultation
• Caritas Internationalis (International Confederation of Catholic Charities)