【國際特赦組織台灣分會聲明】世界衛生組織對台立場令人遺憾

2020/04/09

2020年2月3日，國際特赦組織曾致信給世界衛生組織（WHO）秘書長，表示台灣代表無法參加多數世界衛生組織針對新冠病毒（COVID-19）的相關會議、無法取得即時的疫情等相關資訊，將對在台灣生活的所有人，造成健康權及知的權利（取得資訊的權利）造成影響，並敦促世界衛生組織應讓台灣代表參與所有預防、控制及治療新冠病毒的相關會議。

至今，國際特赦組織尚未收到來自世界衛生組織的任何回應，我們對此表示遺憾。

我們必須再次指出，世界衛生組織無法保障台灣境內的所有人，包括本國人、外國人、移工、移民、尋求庇護者、難民的健康權及知的權利，將使得防止新冠病毒繼續擴散的工作變得更加困難，也讓更多人處於風險之中。

在世界衛生組織的章程中，明文表示：「不分種族、宗教、政治信念、經濟或社會狀況，享受最高的健康標準，是每個人的基本權利之一。」健康權包含在許多國際人權文書中，包括《經濟社會文化權利國際公約》第十二條、《兒童權利公約》第二十四條，以及《消除對婦女一切形式歧視公約》第十二條。健康權包括取得、接受和傳播健康相關議題的資訊，以及預防、治療和控制傳染病、地方疾病、職業病和其他疾病的權利。

所有受影響的個人和社群都有權以即時、容易的管道，取得有關疾病性質及危害程度的有效資訊、減輕風險的可能措施、對於未來的預警資訊，以及正在進行的因應工作。「健康權」進一步包括提供國際合作與援助的義務。國際合作義務的關鍵，在於各國能以透明且有效的方式，與利害關係者共享資訊，包括新冠病毒的風險、擴散、預防和治療選項；讓所有利害關係者和受影響的各方都參與進來確保全球對策協調一致，這件事同等重要。當國際組織（例如世界衛生組織）提供援助，其成員國有義務採取一切可能的措施，確保其政策和決定符合各國應盡的人權義務。

我們當下正共同面對新冠病毒的蔓延，任何人都不該被拋下。對於世界衛生組織無法處理台灣面臨的問題，導致台灣缺乏必要管道取得即時、正確的健康相關資訊，且無法提供救濟管道，我們感到非常遺憾。

我們呼籲世界衛生組織和國際社會共同保障及尊重在台灣的所有人的人權，世界衛生組織尤其應承擔責任，保護健康權及知的權利。

Amnesty International Taiwan expresses regret over the WHO's position toward Taiwan

2 April 2020

On 3 February, Amnesty International sent a letter to the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), conveying deep concern for the rights to health and information of the people in Taiwan, since the representatives of Taiwan have been excluded from most COVID-19 related meeting and information from the WHO. Amnesty International urged the WHO to invite representatives from Taiwan to join all relevant WHO meetings related to the prevention, control and treatment of the COVID-19 outbreak. We regret that, to date, Amnesty International has not received any response from the WHO.

We must again point out that the failure by the WHO to protect and respect the rights to health and information of all people in Taiwan, including nationals, foreigners, migrants including migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees, makes the work of curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the region much more difficult and puts people’s lives at risk.

The WHO’s Constitution acknowledges that “[t]he enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition”. The right to health is contained in several international human rights instruments, including Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and Article 12 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The right to health includes the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas concerning health issues, and the “prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases”.

All affected individuals and communities are entitled to easy, accessible, timely and meaningful information concerning the nature and level of the health threat, the possible measures to be taken to mitigate risks, early warning information of possible future consequences and information on ongoing response efforts. The right to health further includes the obligation to provide international cooperation and assistance. One key aspect of the obligation of international cooperation is for states to share information, in a transparent and effective way, including to key stakeholders, about the risks and spread of COVID-19, as well as preventive and treatment options. It is equally important to ensure a coordinated global response, which involves the participation of all key stakeholders and affected parties. Where assistance is provided through an international organization, such as the WHO, its member states have an obligation to take whatever measures they can to ensure that its policies and decisions are in conformity with the states’ human rights obligations.

No one should be left behind as we face the spread of COVID-19. The WHO’s failure to address and remedy Taiwan’s lack of access to its essential channels for timely and accurate public health information is deeply regrettable. We hereby call upon the WHO and the international community to jointly protect and respect the human rights of people in Taiwan, especially the rights of health and information which should be protected by the WHO.