History proves that during a crisis, it is the most marginalised people who are hit the hardest.
In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, this is already happening: children are going hungry, women are being denied agency during childbirth and disabled people are being left to fend for themselves.
Human rights were designed to stop this happening. But too often they are not being observed. Even before the pandemic, systemic, unlawful practices by UK public bodies were undermining human rights and democracy.
Thankfully, there is hope. Civil society has galvanized and created ways to push back against the wave of oppression. People are using the crisis as an opportunity to create lasting social change.
In this series we investigate some of the stories more closely, hearing directly from those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We also profile inspiring stories from those who, in response, are using legal tools to create a fairer society.
It follows on from our pre-pandemic reporting on unlawful practices by government, which you can find here.
The series is funded by the Baring Foundation, which supports organisations to use the law for social change.
