Australia is deeply concerned by the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19, particularly on individuals in vulnerable situations.

Women and girls, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons have been disproportionately impacted, exacerbating health challenges, eroding hard fought gains to the full enjoyment of human rights.

Australia stands with our partners in the Indo-Pacific to minimise the human, economic and social costs, and chart a course to recovery. We are focussed on those in vulnerable situations. For example, in addition to sharing 60 million vaccine doses with the region, we are assisting countries to support equitable access to vaccines, including people with disabilities. We encourage states to design, implement and invest in more inclusive and accessible COVID-19 recovery programs. Experience shows that those in vulnerable situations must have an active role in recovery efforts and be engaged as leaders and decision makers at community, national and international levels.

We continue to oppose the linking of technical assistance and capacity-building, a consensus tool vital for the promotion, protection and respect for human rights, with national concepts such as mutually beneficial cooperation, which have no agreed meaning in multilateral fora.

We welcome joint and individual efforts to offer technical assistance and capacity-building, in line with the principle that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing.