 Good afternoon from New York. Good morning or good evening wherever you find yourself today Welcome to this virtual event to mark Human Rights Day 2020 My name is Craig Mochaibur director of the Human Rights Office here at United Nations headquarters in New York Over the course of the next 45 minutes, we will be celebrating the COVID-19 frontline heroes Those who have borne the brunt of this pandemic as they work to help those around them The people who at personal risk and hardship made it possible for us to be fed provided medical care and kept safe In other words the people who made our human rights possible We'll be hearing from people in the health sector Education women's support networks Mask making and the world of music all telling their own stories But first a few words about the reasons for this event The daily actions of our COVID-19 frontline heroes help achieve the rights of others But our heroes also have rights themselves rights that have not always been respected during this crisis Around the globe the Human Rights Day this year centers on the need to recover better Harnessing the power of global and community solidarity and underscoring our interconnectedness and our shared humanity Human rights must be central to efforts to build forward in the wake of this pandemic And we will reach our common goals But only if we are able to create opportunities that are equal for all Address the failures exposed and exploited by COVID-19 and Apply a human rights approach to tackle entrenched systemic and intergenerational inequalities as well as exclusion and discrimination It is precisely this vision that underpins the call to action for human rights That was launched earlier this year by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutárez In it he recommitted the United Nations system to place human rights at the center of everything we do And with those words, I will now hand over to the Secretary-General who will make some opening remarks The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced two fundamental truths about human rights First human rights violations harm us all The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups including frontline workers people with disabilities older people women and girls and minorities It has thrived because poverty inequality discrimination the destruction of our natural environment and other human rights Failures have created enormous fragilities in all societies At the same time the pandemic is undermining human rights by providing a pretext for heavy-handed security responses and repressive measures that curtail civic space and media freedom The second truth highlighted by the pandemic is that human rights are universal and protect us all an Effective response to the pandemic must be based on solidarity and cooperation Divisive approaches authoritarianism and nationalism make no sense against the global threat People and their rights must be front and center of response and recovery We need universal rights-based frameworks like health coverage for all to beat this pandemic and protect us for the future My call to action for human rights spells out the central role of human rights in crisis response gender equality public participation climate justice and sustainable development On human rights day and every day let's resolve to act collectively with human rights front and center To recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build a better future for all As the secretary general rightly says human rights must be at the top of the agenda and without fail Not least if we want to recover in a way that makes the world more equal more just and better for all Delivering on the promise of human rights at the local level Is an essential means to achieving those goals during and beyond the pandemic era An important example of local level action is offered by our partners at the new york city commission on human rights Which enforces the city's human rights law and educates the public about it It's now a pleasure to welcome carmelin malales. It's chair and commissioner Hi, my name is carmelin p malales as chair and commissioner of the new york city commission on human rights I share in the united nation's recognition of the frontline heroes of the coronavirus pandemic You are the backbone of our communities around the world and the new york city commission on human rights. Thanks you The commission enforces the most comprehensive local civil and human rights laws in the united states COVID-19 has tested the strength of our law and our ability to answer to the unprecedented ways The pandemic hurts workers businesses and tenants Though we have seen over 500 reports of discrimination related to COVID-19 I am proud that we have not faltered in protecting new yorkers In the united states asians Despite so many being frontline workers have been scapegoats for the pandemic Asian people have faced harassment and even violence reminiscent of other times of crisis So we took action Together with our public artist-in-residence amanda ping body bacchia We led a public awareness campaign called I still believe in our city The campaign conveys the love respect and gratitude new yorkers feel towards frontline workers Who have not given up in this fight We will not give up either We are confronting this pandemic as a global family If you have faced discrimination because you are a frontline worker here in new york city Know that the commission has your back If your landlord tries to evict you because they think you are a risk to other tenants The commission has your back We are standing up for one another in extraordinary ways We will fight for you as you have fought for us Thank you Our thanks to the commissioner for those words and for the important work that the commission does throughout this difficult period Now let's hear from more of our covid-19 frontline heroes For many people the frontline in the pandemic evokes images of the health workers who have stepped up repeatedly and tirelessly all around the world Not only in intensive care units and emergency rooms of hospitals and clinics But also in the communities of which they are apart Community health care is critical to ensuring that no one is left behind during the pandemic as well as In the period during which we will try to recover better from this And let's face it women are the cornerstones of such care In thailand the more than 800 000 women health volunteers account for 84 percent of health workers across the nation Let's hear the story of just a few of them Women health volunteers are helping to break the stereotype that the role of women in society is limited at home families and domestic But it is quite obvious that the health volunteer sector is dominated by women I think women can take meaningful roles in pandemic prevention for the whole community and for the country I would like to express my condolences to all of you who went to the hospital and took the medicine The doctor will give you the medicine and we will take the medicine for you at home I would like to accept the possibility of women getting better because the role of women is There are many things that can be done for men And now, at least for us, there are more women than men In thailand society, women get a lot of benefits When they approach and work, women get a lot of benefits They get a lot of benefits and it will make them pay more attention to the people who are women I would like to return to the hospital again Because there are a lot of patients in the hospital I would like to express my condolences to all of you who went to the hospital Well, focusing on the rights of communities, their right to health and other human rights, is of paramount importance now And will remain so during and after the recovery Particularly those communities that have been among the hardest hit The pandemic has placed major strains on indigenous peoples including by disrupting culturally important social connections But it has also underlined the resilience of these communities We will now hear from Margarita Hernandez from Guatemala She is what is known as an abuela camadrona or a grandmother midwife She belongs to the Mayan Chusigan community close to Santa Cruz del Quiche Camadronas are not only midwives but also leaders and advisors and guides for their communities To be a camadrona is a gift and it is a calling Margarita is a member of the council of midwives in the department of quiche She will now explain how the midwives continue to ensure access for indigenous women to traditional ways of childbirth Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic I used to look for people who didn't want to go to the hospital They were afraid because there was a lot of contagion So I didn't want to go to the hospital All the people, the women, the midwives, gave birth to their babies at home I attended them at home, they gave birth to their children Almost all the time that we have with this pandemic All in the house they are suffering from my illness I suffered a lot and suffered a lot when there was no bus, no truck, no truck I had to walk for two hours, an hour and a half, it cost me a lot That's what happened to me during the time that we are in trouble Right now it's not possible because there is a car But yes, my people don't even dare to go to the hospital That's my job, what I did during that time It was so difficult, but there I had to work Thanks to God, I feel good All the time I'm working, I'm going out I'm walking, I'm working with people and I'm still working And the protection for personal prevention for the disease What I did, my mask, my gel, my spray For the moment I'm using my mask, my gel and my hand My liquid soap to wash my hands And always my gloves I always use gloves when I work with women Always with my gloves And my spray, when I get on the buses Or in tuk-tuk, I'm going to put the spray on And I feel there That's my mystery No, I bought it once I'm what I bought because in the health center I didn't talk, nothing, nothing I didn't help, nothing, nothing I didn't give anything I don't know if that's what That's it, I don't know what That's all I bought All my things that I'm using, I'm buying I didn't have a problem with the cacodes With the police No, there I was working From time to time Because I was going to get my insurance In the health center If they gave me I can work any time I left, I included The police take me home When I'm going to go to the ward Well, there you have it Margarita is dedicated to helping Mothers bring new lives into the world But the entire life cycle Has been hit by this pandemic It's no secret that the pandemic Has hit older generations Particularly hard, notably Those living in care homes Lockdown measures taken for Solid public health reasons Have also disrupted their ties With the outside world In Poland, Marina Julia Is part of a non-governmental organization That works with a range of disadvantaged Groups, the homeless Prisoners as well as refugees And older persons In the face of the COVID-19 crisis She has brought these groups together To help them to cope And to build new connections Between people There are Polish grandmothers Left, forgotten Unannounced And at the same time We can't leave them We can't touch them We can't touch them We can't wash our hands But we can see through the window We can whisper We love you We can dance We can blow We can blow In the midst of the homeless Women live The Czech women Most of them don't have a mother Because either they were in the Czech Republic Or they died Or died in two bloody wars So what can be more beautiful How to give Polish grandmothers A Czech boy A Czech girl I'm sure That in Poland We have a second mother We have a second mother We have a second mother We have a second mother After losing the ability to make money And to fund their work Making this a pivotal moment To try to remedy this Non-governmental organizations have sprung up To help artists navigate the impacts of the crisis And to recover better For example, by writing inequities In streaming royalties These include the New York based Cheerio Arts Thanks to whom we can now enjoy A performance from Christian DeMarco Of Dark Sky Hustlers I would like to introduce One of our favorite New York City bands Dark Sky Hustlers I ran into Christian at Central Park Playing solo guitar And asked him if I might share Dark Sky's Music with you today Thanks for that Well, music and design are part of the same family The arts In the face of the severe economic challenges Posed by the pandemic Do you have any questions? No The challenges posed by the pandemic Designers have pivoted into new areas One of the most visible Is making masks Colorful designs enable wearers To express themselves to add a bit of beauty To the world in difficult times But also to protect their health And the health of those around them In Spain, Moussa Pogban Has joined hands with an organization Distributing food to those in need Using the same network to get masks To them too In my profession We do flamenco T-shirts A bit of sewing But this year What we need now are the masks To help the people Who need them My name is Moussa Pogban I'm from Mafia I've been here in Córdoba For almost three years How do you comment? Córdoba is the most beautiful city in Spain At the moment of confinement People need masks Some don't have money to buy them Some don't know how to get them So we've been in contact With the Eredia Association Because we collaborate together And through it we can also Get to know the Mafiliño Association Here in Córdoba We're here to make cables To the others who need them Moussa A partner who cooks And does a lot of masks But who didn't know where to distribute them And during the pandemic We were feeding our family So we told them That we'd like to distribute them The same way we feed the masks So he came and gave us A lot of masks That we had to give to the family And the truth is that I love the details As always In this situation that we're living in We can help each other Because we're the same Europe, Africa We're the same We're brothers, we're sisters We support each other To get out of this If I bring my help You have to bring your part We collaborate together And hand on activities In communities One of the things I was concerned Was my immediate constituency And their safety and their understanding About this COVID What measures and how they have to Keep cleaning, wash their hands regularly Because people are like How do you do it? We ought that hand sanitizer We went to primary health care facilities We went, we produced We had buckets We had information That could explain, wash your hand We had buckets with a pump We had to distribute it across And we get constituency Women inclusion, even though it's a matter of right And social justice, that issue involved And UN Resolution 1325 That was celebrating the 20th Anniversary this season Women must be on table Whether you're talking about peace or pandemic Or issues of this nature They have to be there They still need to raise An army of women Especially young girls Who will They have voices, we can amplify Their voices to continue Not only the safety messages But also to keep them safe Well, undeniably Empowering women is vital To achieving old human rights Amid the pandemic They frequently have found themselves playing additional roles As the family doctors Who monitor the health conditions of family members Protect them from infection And care for them In ways that are complicated by lockdowns In essence, women have become First responders Directly responsible for protecting family members And thus contributing To the whole of society's fight Against COVID-19 This is what underpins the work Of Entisar El Said Of the Cairo Foundation for Development And Law in Egypt With the release of February 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic began to appear In Egypt In the month of March The Egyptian government began To take a number of measures To prevent the spread of COVID-19 In order to make sure That the government Needs to take a number of measures To protect citizens And citizens To take a number of measures That have Religious, economic And social impact On the lives of the greatest Of citizens Especially The least In the Egyptian community In the Cairo Foundation For Development and Law We found that there is A social responsibility For us. We consider A part of this community And we consider In the Egyptian society Especially That women In the Egyptian society In the Egyptian society Are playing a very serious role And with the help of The changes they have made They still remain For a longer period of time And they still Are responsible for The health care For the people who have been On the streets And especially That they are a big part Of the work Of the organization That has affected their lives On the social level And on the social level We decided that We will make a hot line With the beginning of the crisis Especially with the psychological support Of the victims We made sure That we still continue To present The legal assistance That we have made The hot line has been working For a long time And in some cases That have been affected By the violence of the police The police have been Protecting the victims Of the violence of the police We have provided a group Of documents To some of the victims That have been made That have been put in place In the places That have been affected by the violence Of the patients Like the workers In the newspapers and the advertisements The presentations And the medical services The protection And so on We have been working To distribute the items The pandemic has also caused massive disruption in the education system, with millions of children out of school completely or unable to adequately follow their lessons in the ways that they need to. There's been plenty of innovation, for example, to shift to online classes. But what about places where digital access is a challenge or unavailable altogether? How can the right to education be protected in these circumstances? Our final COVID-19 frontline hero has an answer. Tanika McCoy-Phipps is a teacher in Jamaica, and I'm sure you will find her simple solution quite inspirational. So much so, in fact, that it's being spread worldwide by our partners at UNICEF. One day, I was just around the back of my yard doing some chores, and I heard a lot of noise, and I went to my gate to look to see what it was, and I saw children running up and down wild, a lot of kids, some riding bicycles, others playing different games, and I was like, wow, and this was cool time. I knew that if it wasn't the COVID, they would have been in class. So as a teacher, I took responsibility. I felt responsible because I was like, because we're not able to be with them. They're doing that, and I felt sad when I knew that I had to do something about it. Then the thought came to me, paint blackboards in this community, put up the work at a designated spot, and let parents know, so everybody can just come and access their phone, take a picture, and take it back inside their home for their children. And that's what I did. Early every morning, Mrs. McCoy-Phipps and her assistants go to different communities where they religiously write the day's lesson on the community blackboard. The devout teacher says the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased her resolve to reach as many students as possible. It's called for teachers to be critical thinkers and proactive, and I can't let my children down. It doesn't matter if they're not members of my class. I just know definitely that I am responsible for the nation's children, so I'll have to do something about it. Behind every zinc fence and board lies a lot of children with great potential and ability. A project like this is important because it represents a community response to a community-based problem that has nationwide implications, and she's impacting hundreds of children with this simple idea. Education is a human right. We all have a right to a quality education. These blackboards are ways to help ensure at least some access to the content for the children, so that at least every day they have something structured happening. She's working with the parents and the community to make sure that the teaching and learning doesn't stop, and we applaud her for that. Equal access to education. You don't know where these great children are. You just have to make sure that nobody's left behind all the hands and bring them. Every child can learn. Every child must learn. Well, with that, I want to thank you for being with us to mark Human Rights Day 2020. The voices from the ground that we've been able to share with you are a clear illustration that people have stepped up to tackle the pandemic in a way that supports the human rights of everyone. This is a conversation that will and must continue as we strive collectively to recover better. To conclude, I'll now give the closing words to Ilza Brands-Karis, the United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, and I thank you. It gives me great pleasure to close this Human Rights Day event of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. First of all, I wish to pay tribute to the women and men who have shared their stories with us today. They represent the millions of people on the front line around the world who, despite great personal risk, have defied the COVID-19 pandemic to serve their communities. They have helped safeguard fundamental rights when the world needed it the most. The right to an education, the right to health, the right to safety and personal integrity, and the right to freedom from violence. Through individual courage and personal commitment, those on the front line have helped uphold the dignity of their neighbors and fellow citizens and keep our societies together in times of crisis. As their stories illustrate, this is happening in all corners of the world, from Bangkok to New York City, from Poland to Jamaica, from Kodoa to Cairo. The message that these local voices convey is a global one. The pandemic can only be defeated if we work together and act in solidarity with each other. Those most vulnerable on the margins of society who have already been hardest hit from inequalities and discrimination must be our priority. As the Secretary General underlined at the outset, human rights must be front and center of response and recovery if we are to beat COVID-19 and build forward better. This is also the tenet of the Secretary General's call to action for human rights. Human rights must be at the heart of everything that the United Nations does. With the call to action as our common framework, our office and the entire UN system is committed to continue working hand in hand with governments, local authorities, and institutions such as the New York City Commission on Human Rights and Civil Society to combat the pandemic with human rights. Thank you.