Coronavirus pandemic amplified risks for the most vulnerable in the Middle East

According to human rights organisations, 2020 has been a ‘catastrophic year’ for marginalised groups as the coronavirus pandemic has amplified the risks for the most vulnerable in the Middle East. Already existing inequalities and discrimination have left some people – including prisoners, refugees, migrants and minorities – disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In Israel, for example, Israeli authorities did not provide COVID-19 vaccinations to five million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip when the vaccination drive began in December 2020. In the Arab Gulf States, the pandemic also worsened the situation for migrant workers tied to the “abusive” Kafala sponsorship system. In Libya, minorities, including the Tabus and Touaregs, who are from historically neglected regions, were denied adequate healthcare either because of inaccessible hospitals controlled by rival armed groups or a lack of official documents. Finally, in several countries, prisoners were at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 due to overcrowding, insanitary conditions and poor ventilation, the report found.