Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for religious minorities from the UN perspective

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a serious challenge to the enjoyment of free- dom of religion or belief. This article examines how this was addressed in the context of the UN machinery on human rights protection. UN documents indi- cate a holistic perspective that the global crisis could not be solved only with public health and emergency measures, but also required a human rights-based approach. The UN also exhibited a concern for application of the principles of necessity and proportionality, with particular regard for the inclusion of margin- alized and vulnerable groups, such as religious minorities.