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FRC emphasises impact on the vulnerable in a collective call from academia for a societal exit from lockdown

  • April 18, 2020

Building on the first country overview of the fundamental rights impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium, FRC members, Dr. Amy Weatherburn, Prof. Paul De Hert and Prof. Serge Gutwirth have contributed to a collective effort from academics across Belgium that calls on a societal exit from lockdown.


The Full Document seeks to provide insights from academia on how best to ensure that an exit from lockdown is normatively grounded in what is best for society as a whole, by incorporating 50 texts from more than 120 experts, mainly in the humanities and social sciences on issues relating to policy and crisis, communication and technology, rights and justice, health, social issues, education and culture, and environment and production. The call to arms has been reported in the Belgian media, namely De Standaard and Le Soir

The FRC contribution welcomes the recent announcement of a Federal Taskforce for Vulnerable Groups and stresses that their work must reduce the risk of further marginalisation and inequality, with particular focus on securing access to the labour market, housing and subsistence and securing the rights of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers.