From April to mid-May 2020, the Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) worked with AJAR together with KontraS Sulawesi, Fopperham Yogyakarta, PASKA Aceh, JPIC Synod GKI in Tanah Papua, IKOHI, LBH Bandung, KIPPER Yogyakarta, JPIT NTT, El-Addper Merauke, Jayapura Support Group, ELSHAM Papua, KATANE Support Group Merauke, and Labarik Lakon to conduct a joint survey to get a portrait of the condition of victims and their families in surviving the pandemic. The survey was conducted on 402 respondents in 13 provinces.
Through this survey, we found a number of critical issues that must be considered, namely the magnitude of the victims’ needs for food supplies because many of them were spared the process of receiving government assistance. The survey shows the importance of ensuring victims have access to health, especially for elderly victims and PLHIV communities. The survey also shows how impunity and the narrowing of the current democratic space affect patterns of relations between the government and its people, especially with groups who were victims of human rights violations during the pandemic.
We hope that this survey can be used as a reference for every element of both individuals, communities and governments in finding the best steps to prevent and reduce the risk of victim vulnerability. We hope that the future policy should not only focus on humanitarian aid but also promote health services as part of the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights.