The Nordic and Baltic countries Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden expressed their deepest sympathies to all those affected by COVID-19 and stressed that all responses by states must be in accordance with international law, including full respect for human rights, and should be temporary. The Nordic and Baltic countries support the call of the Secretary-General to make gender equality and the prevention and redress of violence against women a key part of national response plans for COVID-19.
Together with other members of the Group of Friends of the Safety of Journalists, Lithuania voiced great concern over increase in restricting measures that disproportionately limit the right to freedom of expression and impede journalists and media workers from reporting on the COVID-19 crisis and called on states to preserve a free, safe and enabling environment for journalists and media workers. Free, independent and pluralistic media play an indispensable role in informing the public during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
