RESEARCH
3. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1. Conclusion
As a preliminary study, this research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has a severe
impact on achieving the SDGs and the fulfillment of human rights. The close and reciprocal
relationship between human rights and SDGs is getting more obvious that in implementing
the 2030 Agenda and its seventeen SDGs, the use of human rights values, norms and
principles is obligatory. Likewise, to fulfill human rights, the SDG framework can be an
adequate working instrument. Awareness of the existing relationship between human
rights and the SDGs is becoming essential for the authorities, the state, and the related
parties in dealing with the current COVID-19 situation and to project the SDGs achievement
agenda in the future.
As has been elaborated in the previous sections, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe
obstacles and challenges towards the achievement of a number of SDGs, seven of which
are described and analysed above. Actors and institutions with a mandate related to those
SDGs must take COVID-19’s human rights impacts into consideration when adpting SDG
planning to the current situation.
In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic also has tendencies to affect human rights and some
violations even took place. Some human rights implications were directly caused (inevitably)
by the pandemic, but some were results of how the authorities handled it. It shows that
human rights principles are not adequately adopted by the authorities. In this context,
the role of Komnas HAM RI is significant. Komnas HAM RI, in carrying out its mandate and
authority, continues to monitor if the state respects, protects and fulfills human rights to
safeguard all its citizens. In its limited function as an advisor and observer, Komnas HAM
RI needs to ensure that the recommendations that are given to the government can be
implemented.
Furthermore, Komnas HAM’s supervision of the response measures and mitigation of
COVID-19 has resulted in a series of recommendations that have direct relevance for seven
of the SDGs. This means that implemenatioan plans for these seven SDGs need to be
adapted to the current situation in light of Komnas HAM’s recommendations. In that way,
SDG implementation will serve as a human rights-based framework for Covid-19 response,
mitigation and recovery. The significant role of Komnas HAM RI in relation to Indonesisa’s
achievement of the SDGs is not only theoretical, but also needs to be accompanied by
goodwill from the parties involved in concrete actions, especially the government and civil
society, as well as the internal Komnas HAM RI itself.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, health issues are undoubtedly the area with the
strongest obvious visibility in the SDG agenda (Goal 3), and the human rights inplications
are clear, in the sense that achievement of SDG 3 will contribute significantly to fulfilling
the right to health. Unpreparedness and unreadiness of the state to properly address the
targets under SDG 3 will be a missed opportunity to fulfill the citizens' right to health.
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