Calling for Global Vaccine Equity

The event is hosted by Erasmus School of Law

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Calling for Global Vaccine Equity

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global catastrophe that has led to colossal loss of lives and livelihoods. Its impact in low-income countries is particularly severe and pre-existing inequities are further exacerbated.

Vaccination is a crucial tool in halting the pandemic. With many western countries already rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, low-income countries are largely depending on international donors such as the World Health Organization’s COVAX initiative. This joint initiative is generally considered as a global solution to realize equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all. Although COVAX is underway to deliver vaccines to low-income countries, so far, inequity in global access to covid-19 vaccines is causing needless deaths, and prolonging the pandemic and viral transmission that fosters variants which undermine vaccine efficacy.

On various occasions global leaders, human rights organisations and scholars remind States of their obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in relation to universal access and affordability of vaccines for COVID-19, in particular in relation to international cooperation and intellectual property. They have urged States to share vaccine knowledge and expand global capacity for vaccine production.

During this seminar several speakers will respond to the plea for a more equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Speakers

• Dr. Ellen ‘t Hoen, researcher at the University Medical Centre at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands).
• Dr Yuan Hu, Senior Legal & Policy Advisor Médecins Sans Frontières (Geneva, Switzerland)
• Isabel de la Mata Barranco, Principal Advisor for Health and Crisis Management, European Commission
• Prof. dr. Ole Norheim, Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, University of Bergen (Norway)

Contact email: denexter@law.eur.nl.

Zoom link: https://eur-nl.zoom.us/j/9361637111