Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Statement on universal and equitable access to vaccines for
COVID-19
Statement by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights*
1. A safe and effective vaccine is expected to reduce the health and life risks posed by
COVID-19, while allowing, at the same time, a progressive lifting of some restrictive
measures that have been necessary to combat the spread of the virus. It will also help to
recover from the serious negative effects which these measures have had on the enjoyment
of economic, social and cultural rights, especially by the most disadvantaged and
marginalized populations. For that reason, it is important and encouraging news for the
world that several vaccines for COVID-19 might be approved soon by health authorities,
after following the relevant World Health Organization (WHO) technical guidance
documents for COVID-19 vaccines and other biologicals in order to guarantee their safety
and effectiveness1. In that context, the Committee considers it necessary to remind State
parties of their obligation under the Covenant in this area, in order to avoid unjustified
discrimination and inequalities in the access to vaccines for COVID-192.
2. Every person has a right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health3, which includes access to “immunization programs against the
major infectious diseases”4. Every person also has a right to enjoy the benefits of scientific
progress5, which includes access to “all the best available applications of scientific progress
necessary to enjoy the highest attainable standard of heath”6. Both rights imply that every
person has a right to access a vaccine for COVID-19, which is safe, effective and based on
the application of the best scientific developments.
3. States have an obligation to take all the necessary measures, to the maximum
available resources, to guarantee access to vaccines for COVID-19 to all persons, without
any discrimination7. The duty of States to provide immunization against the major
**The present statement was adopted by the Committee on 27 November 2020.
1 https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/relevant-who-tech-docs-for-covid-19-vaccines-and-
other-biologicals
2 For a general view of the obligations of Sate parties under the Covenant in relation to
the pandemic, see the Statement of the Committee on 17 April 2020 “On the coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) pandemic and economic, social and cultural rights”
3 See article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
and article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
4 See Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 14
(2000) on the Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health. Paragraph 36.
5 See article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
and article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
6 See Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 25
(2020) on Science and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Paragraph 70
7 See articles 2, 12 and 15of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights