A Reflection on the Nation in A State of Emergency – An observer’s perspective

By end of April 2020, the numbers had risen to 22 with one fatality and two local transmissions, the rest being imported. This prompted government to put measures in place to contain the virus.

These measures, the SoE and nationwide lockdown came into effect in response to the increasing cases. Upon the introduction of the responses to the pandemic, it immediately became apparent that there would be need for support to human rights defenders in the country, as well as the protection of vulnerable groups in the country, in the context of the pandemic and beyond. This inevitably saw an emergence of a new cohort of vulnerable people and communities in the country. Along with this was an added layer of vulnerability for those populations already experiencing vulnerability in the country.