ABSTRACT
It is undeniable that COVID-19 has laid bare the deeply-rooted inequalities in our societies. It is also difficult to ignore the multilayered and disproportionate direct impact that this unprecedented global public health challenge has had on marginalized groups, particularly on racialized communities. However, as the reactions to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor across the globe show, racial justice in the context of COVID-19 has taken on particular characteristics, not only in the way activists and movements are organizing themselves, but also in the way that international and regional human rights mechanisms are responding. This chapter explores the intersections between racial justice and COVID-19 to answer two main questions: how have United Nations and regional mechanisms responded to demands to dismantle systemic racism in the context of COVID-19? And what are some insights to consider for the future of the racial justice movement, in connection with international human rights law?
