Lokesh Mewara (Student Of National Law University). The coronavirus crisis that led to a global pandemic has gripped the world and everything across the globe has come to a standstill for an unkown amount of time. In this sorry state of affairs, the body count is rising and lockdowns are expanding massively. As the pandemic is escalating with a rapid pace, so is the threat and danger disproportionately getting wide with the consequential possibility of impacting the most vulnerable people such as internally displaced people, stateless people, asylum seekers, migrant workers and refugees. There is a perilous danger for these vulnerable population of getting hit by the wrath of Covid-19 virus. The plight of these vulnerable communities is at stake due to various concerning reasons like cramped living conditions, coupled with stretched healthcare services and poverty-stricken condition.
A series of factors and potential threats can make the situation for these vulnerable communities more extreme:
- Firstly, many developing countries are facing acute food shortage. Resultantly the number of acutely hungry people worldwide could nearly double from 135 million to 265 million due to COVID-19.
- Secondly, as migrant workers are laid off in economies, hit by coronavirus shutdowns, the possibilities of sharp decline of global remittance can be projected by a margin of $110 billion during the pandemic.
- Thirdly, in many African countries there are many stranded migrants who signed for voluntary repatriation but got stuck due to lockdowns and border closures. Further, due to the suspension of commercial and cargo flights the humanitarian operations are getting affected.
- Fourthly, there has been many reported incidences of stigmatisation and ceasefire violation in some African countries and few Asian countries including India and Pakistan amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The severe implications of this stigmatisation and ceasefire will not only affect the vulnerable communities but also make it tough for the forces indulged in providing aid.