In its Resolution 2339 (2020), the Parliamentary Assembly noted that the Covid-19 pandemic had not simply brought existing structural inequalities in European societies into the open, but had exacerbated them. It called on States to begin work immediately to improve responses and bring about the transformation to a more inclusive society that this crisis demands.
Today, the pandemic is still far from over and its discriminatory effects continue to deepen inequalities. Lockdowns increase the risk of domestic and gender-based violence; the gender pay and pension gaps are widening for women who left the labour market to care for children or vulnerable family members; unequal health status and living conditions continue to expose some groups to greater risks of illness; educational and professional opportunities for the young remain blocked; both young people and the elderly face persisting isolation; financial support is diverted away from programmes designed to combat inequalities; and access to vaccination may also be uneven.
States now face a dual challenge: they must not only continue to fight the pandemic itself, they also must look urgently to building a fairer, more inclusive future.
The Assembly should examine and closely analyse the current situation, seeking out initiatives that are working to stamp out inequalities and discrimination. On the basis of its findings, it should formulate updated recommendations to member States in this field, building on the lessons of the pandemic to promote equality and non-discrimination in Europe.