United Nations in the face of Corona Virus

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United Nations in the face of Corona Virus
The novel Corona Virus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining world
health crisis of our time as well as the biggest challenge the world has faced
since World War two. Since the virus was first discovered in China late last
year, it has spread to every continent and country with the exception of
Antarctica. The cases of the COVID-19 disease are increasing daily in Europe,
Americas and Africa. Many nations and global agencies are racing to reduce
the spread of the virus through testing as well as treating patients, limiting
travel, carrying out tracing of possible contacts, cancelling public gatherings
like schools, concerts, and sporting events and quarantining the population.
However, the COVID-19 is not only creating a health crisis to the respective
nations but is also stressing every one of the affected countries it touches
since it has the likelihood of creating devastating political, economic, and
social crises which will leave great and deep scars on these countries (United
Nations: Department of Global Communications).
Strengths and weakness of UN in the face of Corona Virus

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According to Zeid Al Hussein, former United Nations High
commissioner for Human rights, nations should be keen and strict about
human rights even as countries such as China uses biometric surveillance in
tracking the movements of their citizens as well as Hungary giving its prime
minister absolute powers in the case of the pandemic (De Groot). The laws
and principles of human rights pinpoints that human rights are universal,
alienable, indivisible and interdependent. Therefore, they put binding
obligations upon nations including in times of great emergency like COVID-
19 pandemic. These laws are applicable to everyone without any form of
discrimination as well as are indivisible, that is, a set of right cannot be
outdone for the sake of another set of rights.
United Nations has centered on human rights during this pandemic and
is continuing to demand for accountability from nations globally. Drawing
their strength from the unification of almost all the countries their members,
the United Nations has continued to address the needs of the vulnerable
members of the society including women. In spite of some limitations and
restrictions the virus has put on their normal activities, UN peacekeeping
missions are still being carried out while also assisting nations in their corona
virus response.
With the availability of funds contributed by the member countries, UN is
able to monitor human rights abuses in countries that worst affected by the
pandemic while also helping the vulnerable members iof the society
including women.