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(b) To ensure that measures and restrictions adopted to contain the
pandemic do not result in denying effective access to asylum and other protection
procedures under international law, and that the principle of non-refoulement
and the prohibition of collection expulsions are upheld;
(c) To include effectively all migrants at all stages of the migration cycle,
regardless of their nationality and migration status, in national health systems
and procedures, including those specific to the pandemic, such as national
COVID-19 health prevention and response plans; and to guarantee migrants
have full access to treatment in a non-discriminatory manner and in line with
WHO technical guidance, 96 and can receive information in a language they
understand;
(d) To include all migrants in equitable vaccination plans and protocols
on a non-discriminatory basis, regardless of their nationality and migration
status, and to ensure that prioritization criteria for vaccination takes into
consideration the vulnerabilities, risks and needs of migrants, including migrant
women and children; the prioritization criteria should be developed in
consultation and cooperation with relevant agencies and stakeholders, in
coordination with other countries and in line with international human rights
standards and relevant guidance;
(e) To ensure the full realization of the right to health; and to provide
migrants, regardless of their nationality and migration status, with access to
mental health and psychosocial support, as well as assistance for conditions
exacerbated by the pandemic or more severe mental health conditions;
(f) To enact firewalls between immigration enforcement and public
health or social support services, in order to prevent fear or risk of reporting,
detention, deportation and other penalties as result of migration status; not to
use testing, treatment and vaccine registration to collect or share information
about migration status; and put in place data protection protocols for the
collection and disaggregation of data, as well as for the transfer of medical files;
(g) To carry out campaigns informing undocumented migrants and those
in an irregular situation that they will not be penalized or targeted for
immigration enforcement in testing, treatment or vaccination processes;
(h) To ensure the full realization of the right to an adequate standard of
living, as well as the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work and
effective access to justice, taking into consideration the particular needs of
migrants, in particular women, children and all those who have suffered
disproportionately from the negative impact of the pandemic;
(i) To ensure just, favourable and safe conditions of work, including
through protection from contagion at the workplace; to protect jobs, pensions
and other social benefits of migrant workers; and to take the measures necessary
to alleviate the impact of the economic crisis on migrant workers, through, for
example, access to social services;
(j) In coordination with health personnel, United Nations agencies,
national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, constantly
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21-10577
See www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-determinants/migration-and-health/publications/
technical-guidance; see also WHO, “Preparedness, prevention and control of coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) for refugees and migrants in non-camp settings”, available from www.who.int/
publications/i/item/preparedness-prevention-and-control-of-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-forrefugees-and-migrants-in-non-camp-settings; and https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/
06/final_network_wg_policy_brief_covid-19_and_access_to_services.pdf.
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