LONDON (CU)_During a special virtual meeting held on Thursday (Feb 18), the Commonwealth law ministers discussed the legal implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for increased international cooperation in order to ensure equal access to vaccines globally.
“Most countries in the Commonwealth are yet to receive vaccines. There is a real need for increased international cooperation to ensure that no one is left behind,” Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland said.
“We are all in this together…The pandemic knows no territorial boundaries.”
During the meeting, the ministers discussed the challenges that have arisen in the legal sector amid the pandemic, and how travel restrictions, social distancing and other health measures have affected courts and the administration of justice.
The Secretary General brought to the ministers’ attention the “untold damage” caused by the pandemic, to justice systems, especially on account of the increase in barriers to equal access to justice. This is in addition to the rise in domestic violence and cybercrimes including online child sexual abuse, she noted.
“I know that the strength of the Commonwealth family will help us all to pull through, and build back better, leaving no one behind. Improving justice will be the pillar and foundation of our new normal,” Scotland stressed.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed to a range of collaborative efforts, including the commitment to work together to support timely and equal access to vaccines for countries within and outside of the Commonwealth.
“In these challenging times, it is a source of strength to have global partners working together,” Ali Sabry, minister of justice for Sri Lanka, who chaired the meeting, said. “In bringing together its members to share their experiences, expertise, and solutions, the Commonwealth family has united us all in our resolve and is a beacon of hope in moving forward to find answers to an issue of unprecedented magnitude.”
Echoing these views, South Africa’s minister of justice, Ronald Lamola, noted that “no part of the world will be safe from COVID until all parts of the world are safe”.
To date, more than 19 million COVID-19 infections and 370,000 virus-induced deaths have been reported within the Commonwealth.
