The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reiterates its solidarity towards efforts to mitigate the harm caused by the pandemic, including ensuring vaccination for all. At the same time, we expect that the government is mindful of the human rights standards and principles that must be upheld concerning policies mandating vaccination.
The Department of Health (DOH) recently expressed openness to make vaccination mandatory for certain sectors as a ‘last resort’ in order to achieve herd immunity. In a similar stance, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is also looking at removing the subsidy of members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who do not want to be vaccinated. Both proposals stem from hesitancy of certain sectors from getting vaccinated.
Availability, accessibility, and universality are essential pre-requisites to mandating vaccination. We reiterate the need to ensure first that there is sufficient supply and efficient distribution of vaccines to all, including in remote areas and especially for marginalized and vulnerable groups. This is to ensure that no individual suffer undue discrimination nor negative consequence over something inaccessible and/or unavailable to them.
It is also crucial to address vaccine hesitancy as the root issue impacting herd immunity. To increase the public’s confidence in the vaccine, it is recommended that further efforts be channeled in: strengthening the vaccine information drive; employing more effective and innovative campaign strategies; and, addressing disinformation and misconceptions. Instead of dis-incentivizing certain sectors, especially the poor ones who are already suffering from numerous vulnerability, we suggest employing positive reinforcement through incentive programs to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
As in our previous issuances, we reiterate the standards set forth in Siracusa Principles, which must be applied when implementing emergency measures. To ensure legality, we are hopeful that a law be passed first before mandating the Covid-19 vaccine. There is also a need to ensure the utmost necessity of such policy and to show reasonable basis that is anchored on scientific evidence. Limitations and exceptions should also be considered such as time limit, health considerations, religious beliefs, among others. Most importantly, the policy should not result to undue discrimination and harm.
The current pandemic has presented us with complex issues that we all endeavor to address. To ensure a genuinely inclusive recovery process, we continually remind the government of the importance of employing creative, holistic, and humane solutions that consider the dignity and rights of all. ###
#Vaccine4All #SiracusaPrinciples #DignityOfAll