This article is written by Kartik Bohra, from Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad. In this article, the upsurge of racial discrimination and xenophobia during the COVID-19 and its implications on society have been discussed.

Introduction

The COVID-19 virus has been rapidly spreading across the entire world, risking the health and life of everyone. This disease has been considered not only a humanitarian problem or crisis but also an economic crisis in society. However, this virus has also caused the fear of racism and discrimination in society. The pandemic has seriously affected the marginalized sections of the society due to the social and political fractures within the communities. The virus has caused discrimination in the form of Xenophobia and racism towards people based on their characteristics and castes. The issue of racism during the pandemic time has raised the concern of safety and anxiety amongst the various international as well as national organizations. Various groups of people especially East-Asian people have been subjected to racial discrimination during the pandemic across the world. East Asian people are generally being targeted and bullied due to the virus first being identified in Wuhan, China. The disease was initially referred to as ‘Wuhan virus’ and ‘Chinese virus.’ The issue of racism has also been increasing due to fake news and misinformation being circulated on social media. The government and media have engaged in ensuring better global health and economic assurance during the pandemic, but they have miserably failed to address the significant issue of racism and discrimination during the times of pandemic. This has prejudiced the interest of marginalized and vulnerable sections of society. The increase in racism during the pandemic cannot be discarded and ignored as this issue has been increasing at an alarming rate in the various countries around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has sought public attention to the vulnerable and indigenous people and other racialized discrepancies inherent in society. Therefore, there is a need for law enforcement authorities to take cognizance of the growing issue of racism in society and enforce an effective mechanism to deal with the same.

Issue of racism and discrimination

The novel coronavirus has changed the social and economic scenario in many ways. It has increased racial disparity and discrimination in society across the globe. However, the issue of racism and discrimination during the pandemic days is less discussed by the authorities as well as the media officials. The authorities do not discuss this issue and its inherent psychological impacts on the victims. The virus is causing a threat to the physical body of an individual but the rampant issue of racial discrimination and xenophobia has caused a lot of mental strain on the individual’s health and has also been considered dangerous to humanity. Several instances of racial discrimination have been observed across the world during the pandemic which also includes violence and physical attacks. Various reported crimes of xenophobia across the world including hate crimes have come up in these times. This has put an additional burden on individuals from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds. 

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the COVID-19 crisis and its impacts are disproportionately affecting certain marginalized racial, national or ethnic communities and populations groups. Thus, the pandemic has propounded underlying inequalities and significant problems in various fields of the society such as social, economic, and political, which exist in different parts of the world. The pandemic has seriously affected the concept of humanity through exacerbating racism and racial discrimination. The United Nations General Assembly, in its first resolution related to COVID-19, emphasized the assurance and protection of human rights throughout the world and opined that there should be no place for any form of discrimination, racism, and xenophobia in society during the pandemic times.   

Racism during the pandemic has caused psychological fear in the minds of the vulnerable groups. The Ministry of Home Affairs also raised its concern over the increasing number of racial discrimination cases and how social stigma has been associated with COVID-19 in India. It has been observed that sanitation workers and health operators are also facing discrimination in various parts of the world. The United Nations also pointed out the issue of racial discrimination and stated that “instances of speech, stigma, discrimination and xenophobia continue to rise as a result of COVID-19, there is a need to ensure that solidarity prevails during the pandemic.” It is also noted that this social stigma can change the mindset of the people and force them to hide their illness to avoid discrimination which results in preventing them from seeking immediate health care.

Racism and violence

Coronavirus outbreak triggered enormous social consequences involving racism in the form of violence in many parts of the world. The pandemic has spiked racist articles and terms by targeting Asian communities across the world. According to the New York Times report, these communities are being spat on, yelling at, and even threatened in the streets. According to the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, Asian American communities reported over 650 violent racist attacks in the country which demonstrates the outbreak of anti-Asian racism. 

United Nations urged the governments to prosecute the racial attackers to prevent racist and xenophobic violence and to secure the basic human rights of victims during the pandemic. It was also observed that there is a need to “act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate.” In India, several cases of attacks and discrimination against Muslims have been seen during the pandemic. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), notified countries to “condemn racial discrimination and related violence.” It also urged all the signatories to undertake some measures to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting harmony between the communities. Thus, there is a need to secure the basic human rights of all the people around the world by eliminating racial discrimination in the form of violence in societies.      

Xenophobia during the pandemic

Xenophobia can be defined as fear or hatred of people from different parts of the world which also includes hate crimes. It is recorded that verbal and physical abuse during the coronavirus has rapidly increased against the vulnerable sections of society. The incidents of xenophobia are increasing at an alarming rate across the world due to a lack of attention from the authorities. People from different communities are spreading fake news and hatred against the vulnerable groups during the pandemic. Various cases of spatting and physical abuse against Asian people have been seen during the pandemic period. Fear of disease during COVID-19 is understandable but the fear due to the incidents of xenophobia and racial discrimination is not acceptable and justifiable in a just society. Misinformation or fake news against foreigners or outsiders is increasing during this period which creates a wrong image of these people and endangers their lives in other countries.

Further, it is noted that hate speech has significantly increased against the Chinese people due to the comments made by leaders of various countries. It was reported that around 900 percent growth in hate speech toward China and Chinese people starting in late March. This has caused anti-racial movements in Asian countries which severely affected the law and order situation in various countries. Human Rights Watch (HRW), a U.S based human rights group has warned against the use and encouragement of hatred and racism by using anti-Chinese rhetoric by people and various leaders of different countries. Some of the people are also indulging in “anti-semitic and xenophobic conspiracy theories. Thus, law enforcement must ensure that the cases of hatred and xenophobia against vulnerable communities should be restricted and persons who are indulging in such practices must be prosecuted.             

Impact of racial discrimination on society during the COVID-19

A broad range of human rights violations and racial discrimination issues are rising during the COVID-19 adversely impacting the lives of these communities and groups in society. These vulnerable groups are suffering from the virus as well as the incidents of racial discrimination. The pandemic has also increased the cases of xenophobia and racial discrimination against religious minorities around the world. It has been observed that various religious groups and extremists have urged their followers to spread the virus including ethnic and religious minorities, and others. Therefore, an upsurge in scapegoating of religious belief and incitement of hatred has been reported during the pandemic which has impacted the lives of vulnerable and marginalized groups in different forms. Some of the impacts of racial discrimination on society during the COVID-19 are as follows:     

• Psychological impact

The emergence of COVID-19 has also caused serious psychological impacts on the minds of the victims of this disease. This has caused various sufferings to the health of the people such as stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, and uncertainty during the pandemic. The phenomenon of racial discrimination and xenophobia has further made the lives of vulnerable groups miserable in society. This practice puts an additional effect on the mental health of an individual. Racial discrimination and xenophobia in any form can adversely affect the mental health of an individual especially when he comes from vulnerability. This phenomenon has also caused the potential to develop psychiatric disorders in vulnerable individuals in society. Thus, the authorities must play a proactive role in safeguarding the rights of these people.    

• Right to health

The World Health Organization (WHO) rightly pointed out that the effect and threat of COVID-19 happen differently for different groups. Marginalized sections of society are at greater risk of the virus due to a lack of required resources and undermine the broader coronavirus response. It is noted that persons belonging to racial, ethnic, and religious groups are more prone to COVID-19 when compared to other groups due to a lack of economical resources and discrimination existing in society. They suffered more due to racial discrimination, violence, and lack of documentation. The pandemic has aggravated the lives of these people in various forms especially in the field of basic health and hygiene. It is an obligation upon every state to provide and ensure the basic human rights of all the citizens which includes the right to health for everyone.

It is the duty of the government to provide basic health facilities to all the people without discrimination of individuals on the basis of caste, race, colour and xenophobia. The government and the authorities should not compromise the health of marginalized and vulnerable groups due to the phenomenon of racial discrimination and xenophobia that exists in society.      

• Right to education

The pandemic has to lead to the closure of various institutes and schools causing unprecedented disruptions to the education of students across the world. Many students, especially marginalized and vulnerable classes, are facing a lot of difficulties in remote learning tools due to a lack of resources and online platforms. This phenomenon has caused unequal access to education in society. Therefore, these challenges during the pandemic have setbacks the education of these children and increased the racial discrimination existing in the societies. Various children from racial and vulnerable communities are highly dependent upon the schools or training institutes for the purpose of mid-day meals and other social services which are essentially required to meet the health challenges in the country.  

There is a need to incorporate an effective mechanism for providing basic elements of education to these children and uphold the basic principle of humanities in the world. The countries should also adopt a strict policy against racial discrimination and xenophobia in the education sector. These children have the right to education and should not be scrapped away due to the elements of racial discrimination and religious hatred during COVID-19.   

• Right to work

The right to work and an adequate standard of living has also been affected largely by the pandemic around the world. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the pandemic has largely affected the livelihoods of marginalized and racial groups and created a long term impact in terms of unemployment of these communities in the world. It is also believed that racial discrimination has increased in the world of work during the pandemic which has caused an economic slowdown. In many countries, people who belong to marginalized sections of society and racial groups, are more prone to this disease as they are overrepresented in occupations and works. These are also called as frontline workers during the pandemic. Therefore, a lack of effective mechanisms and proactive measures lead to aggravating the situations of these communities. Further, they are also subjected to racial discrimination while laying off from different organizations during the pandemic. 

This whole situation has increased their suffering due to the lack of proactive measures in protecting the rights of the people of these communities. Societies and economies are largely strengthened by these people across the globe. It is the duty of the government to ensure and seek better working conditions at workplaces and arrangement of transportation without being subjected to any form of racial discrimination and xenophobia during the pandemic in society.    

• Law enforcement

The law enforcement agencies in different parts of the world are reportedly being abused their position and involved in the practice of racial discrimination during the COVID-19 crisis. Marginalized people are treated differently by these officials which have largely affected their mental health. According to WHO, “in several countries, marginalised groups, including people of African descents, indigenous persons and minorities are disproportionately represented in detention and prison populations, and therefore, exposed to a greater risk of infection.”This treatment of law enforcement agencies raises a concern on the lives of these people and raises questions of racial discrimination and racial justice. The law enforcement authorities are meant to protect the rights of individuals in society and not to abuse their power causing the phenomenon of racism and xenophobia amongst these communities.  

• Right to adequate housing

Approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide are having inadequate housing resources or are homeless across the world. These people have a lack of basic amenities of life such as food, water, and sanitation which essentially makes them vulnerable to contracting the virus. The racial attacks and fear of xenophobia have severely affected these people which has created a heightened health risk. The spread of hate speech and misinformation consists of racial stereotypes, racism, and xenophobia during the COVID-19 has also made their life miserable and lead to facing difficulties in accessing adequate housing facilities. There are some cases across the world where racial discrimination has caused and lead to forced evictions during the pandemic. 

The committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has recently raised its concern over the growing incidents of racism in different countries and issued advisory to various states to adopt special measures to protect and mitigate the influence and impact of the pandemic on vulnerable groups as well as communities subject to structural racial discrimination. These measures include social relief and income support especially during the pandemic for the safety and security of homeless people. The committee also suggested that the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable groups should be reduced and mitigated by provisioning financial assistance for or deferring rental and mortgage payments. There should be a reduction in suspending utility costs and surcharges at least for the duration of the pandemic. 

• Trafficking in persons

There are several reasons and causes which lead to an upsurge in cases of trafficking and modern slavery across the globe but one of the most prominent reason is unemployment and related restrictions during the COVID-19. The pandemic has forced and pushed the workers to turn to risky or exploitative employment. The situation has become worse for various vulnerable groups as they are facing racial discrimination during the crisis which creates an environment where labour exploitation is widespread. Some people are losing their jobs and employment due to the existing racial discrimination in society and are also forced to abide by the policies and conditions imposed by employers.

Case study on USA and India

During the outbreak of COVID-19, people were labeled and discriminated against on the basis of their caste, colour, creed, and characteristics. This social stigma has caused serious trouble in society as people who don’t have the disease but share other characteristics with these groups have turned out to be prey of this stigma. Countries such as the USA and India have opted for study because of the rising number of coronavirus cases as well as racial discrimination and xenophobia. The situation has become so worse that the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an advisory to all the states saying that “it is very important that we do not profile the cases on the basis of racial, religious, ethnic lines.” 

The USA and India are known as the two largest democracies of the world and have been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic to dangerous levels. Both these countries have a long trace history of racial discrimination in the word. The Americans have indulged in several cases of racial discrimination especially against African-Americans which has increased during the pandemic period. India has also witnessed several cases of racial discrimination against the people of the Northeast region due to their ancestry to the Mongoloid race. There was a rise in anti-Chinese sentiment or racism causing shame to the people of China or even to other Asians and thus causing stigmatization. The government of these nations is also not paying heed towards this rampant issue due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. According to John Sifton, Asia advocacy director, “racism and physical attacks on Asians and people of Asian descent have spread with the pandemic, and government leaders need to act decisively to address the trend.” Therefore, there is a need for the enforcement of rules and regulations by the government to prevent the stigma of racial discrimination and xenophobia, especially during the pandemic.

USA

The instances of racial discrimination and xenophobia upsurged in the USA during the pandemic and directly or indirectly indulge in hate crimes by using anti-Chinese rhetoric. Several political parties in the United States also encouraged anti-immigrant, anti-semitic and xenophobic conspiracy theories that demonized refugees and foreigners during the COVID-19. There were several incidences observed in the USA where Asian people were subjected to abuse and also attacked by a group of people by yelling “Go back to China.” The anti-Asian campaign has been observed in some parts of the USA since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to reports, almost 1500 incidents of racism, physical attacks and xenophobia have been reported against Asians and Asian-Americans.

The Anti-Defamation League also raised its concern over the increasing number of cases of racial discrimination and xenophobia in the country and released a list of racist attacks and incidences of harassment against Asians during the pandemic. The main issue of concern is that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies have not taken any specific step towards the prevention of racial discrimination and physical attacks in the country. However, several local and regional governments have directed the law enforcement agencies to take necessary steps to prevent the spread of such practices in society.

India

India has witnessed several incidents of racial discrimination and xenophobia during the pandemic in India. Racial discrimination is not a new phenomenon in India but the spread of COVID-19 had once again flared up racial discrimination and stigmatisation of people from the region. In India, people from north-east are often targeted and are subjected to racial discrimination and xenophobia in different forms. They are frequently cast as being outside the boundaries of the Indian nation owing to their membership of a segment of the population identified by a racialized physicality. It is all happening due to the wrong and unjustified connotation of a China which is highly prevailing in the society. Some scholars have rightly pointed out that people from north India are widely recognized as hailing from places like China, Japan, Nepal etc which affects their dignity and are subjected various forms of racial discrimination and xenophobia in India.

India has witnessed several incidences of racial discrimination during the time of pandemic where people are already being suffered from the effect of this deadly virus. In March 2020, a 25-year-old woman from Manipur was racially abused and attacked by a group of people. She said, “I was attacked because I am a north-eastern woman from Manipur with Mongoloid features.” According to the report published by the Rights and Risk Analysis Group, most of the incidences of racial discrimination took place in popular restaurants and reputed educational institutes across India. The report also stated that racial discrimination was observed across the country, including places like Gujarat, Delhi and Maharashtra. India’s Mongoloid looking people are more prone to such incidences and are not only being called “corona”, “Chinese”, “Chikni”, but also were spat on and called “Coronavirus.” In some places, these people were forcibly quarantined and forced to leave the apartments despite showing no COVID-19 symptoms.   

Further, foreigners are also humiliated and are subjected to racial discrimination and xenophobia during the time of COVID-19. In several cases, it has been seen that the foreigners were also abused and denied entry in various places due to rising cases of COVID-19. In an incident, two shopkeepers were denied entry in Hyderabad at a supermarket as they looked like foreigners. Hate speech and racial attacks against Muslims have already existed in India and increased during the pandemic. The issue of communal tension and hate speech is largely influenced by social media including social and economic boycotts of Muslims. This significantly increased during the COVID-19 as Indian authorities announced that a large number of Muslims had tested positive after participating in a mass religious gathering in Delhi. The event was organised by the international missionary movement Talibaghi Jamaat. This was popularly declared as “Corona Terrorism” by various groups and political parties. However, Indian law enforcement agencies and concerned authorities at the national and local level have not taken any precautionary and adequate steps to prevent the spread of hate speech and an increasingly toxic atmosphere in society. 

Conclusion

The author concludes that there is a need to create awareness about the issue of racism and xenophobia in our society. The administration must be proactive in protecting the rights of these vulnerable sections of the society from the stigma of racism and xenophobia especially during the times of pandemic where a person is already suffering from the effect of the disease. The issue of racial discrimination in any form should be discouraged by taking effective law enforcement measures in society. It is an obligation upon the State to prevent, investigate, and prosecute persons indulging in such practices and provide effective remedies for racist or xenophobic incidents. The government must take urgent steps to prevent the upsurging of racial discrimination and xenophobia during the pandemic as it is violating their human dignity and human rights enshrined under the Constitution. 

The pandemic has changed the world in various ways and incidents of racism and xenophobia in society raising concerns over the hardships faced by vulnerable and marginalized sections during the COVID-19. Racism in any form can be dangerous to humanity. The incidents of racism are rising day by day due to lack of attention which has caused serious disruptions in a fair and just society. It is well understood that the COVID-19 situation requires more attention as the virus is spreading increasingly across the globe but the fact of racial discrimination and xenophobia should not be ignored as various vulnerable groups are suffering due to both the phenomenon in society. Therefore, the officials and governments must ensure a state free from racial discrimination and xenophobia especially during the pandemic which is having several implications for humanity.  

References

• https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Racism/COVID-19_and_Racial_Discriminat i o n.pdf
• https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/a-guide-to-preventing-and-addressing-social-stigma-associated-with-covid-19?gclid=CjwKCAjwkJj6BRA-EiwA0ZVPVtlxJDDj6FImifiodF HMUvsGRQitrBXfcJBCh8NaZgzA6Y1TRY9GDBoCs0sQAvD_BwE
• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/just-like-covid-19-racism-is-spreading-around-the-world/
• https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2820%2930792-3
• https://www.epw.in/journal/2020/23/commentary/covid-19-pandemic-and-racism-united-states-and.html

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