Given the impact of the COVID-19 virus and measures taken across the world, Justice Rapid Response has reassessed its planned activities for the next few weeks, including the deployment of expert missions and scheduled trainings. The main objectives are the safety of staff and experts, as well as a positive contribution to preventing the spread of infections. Worldwide travel restrictions are also having an impact on the organization’s work.
Justice Rapid Response will continue carrying out expert contributions to investigations, prosecutions and survivor communities when this can be done using technological solutions and remote contact with partners, or otherwise safely. However, a number of expert in-person missions will be postponed to later dates in 2020, due to travel disruptions, as well as for health and safety concerns. The expert recruitment training scheduled for March has been postponed until a later date. Also, as recommended by the authorities in the Canton of Geneva and the State of New York, all Justice Rapid Response staff will be working from home or remotely for the next few weeks.
Justice Rapid Response will be monitoring the situation closely and following the guidance of Swiss authorities for the Geneva office and New York authorities for the New York office, as well as the World Health Organization for issues with a global impact. Justice Rapid Response will continue to review the status of its activities on a daily basis, taking into account the health and security considerations of the organization’s staff and experts, as well as those of the survivor communities and institutions that it works to support.