Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

 Labour and Social Security Rights

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus (COVID-19 virus), reaching the level of a COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO called for states to take urgent and aggressive action to curb the spread of coronavirus. The WHO statement stressed that countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights.  

In order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the Republic of Armenia (hereinafter referred to as also the RA), a state of emergency was declared in the country by Decision No. 298-N of 16 March 2020 of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. By Decision No. 298-N of 16 March 2020 of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, relevant decisions of the Commandant envisaged temporary restrictions on the rights and freedoms of natural and legal persons, which inevitably had their impact on labour and social security rights.

Based on the results of monitoring of the situation of human rights protection under the state of emergency, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office (HCAV) published the 1st part of the report titled “Human Rights Situation in the Republic of Armenia Under the State of Emergency Established for the Prevention of COVID-19 Pandemic” on 4 May 2020. The report presented the legal assessment on the compliance of the legal acts adopted under the state of emergency with the norms and principles of the international human rights law.

The second part of the report assesses the situation of protection of labour and social security rights in the period from 16 March to 4 May, 2020, based on the alarms raised relating to labour and social security rights received by HCA Vanadzor.

The legal assessment is based on the international obligations undertaken by the Republic of Armenia in the field of protection of labour and social security rights, the recommendations of international organizations, the legislation of the Republic of Armenia and other materials.

The full report is available HERE