COVID-19 and the wide range of emergency measures that governments and policy makers have introduced in the name of fighting the pandemic have shaped our lives over the past year and a half. The thirteenth edition of the European Yearbook on Human Rights takes the opportunity to reflect on the impact that COVID-19 has had on human rights and to assess the proportionality and necessity of state responses to the pandemic in order to ensure a resilient human rights system in the future. Renowned scholars, emerging voices and practitioners provide a cross-section of human rights issues in their contributions. These issues range from the underlying considerations of justice and equality and access to resources, to the protection of core human rights during the pandemic, such as the right to health, the right to hold democratic elections and the protection of vulnerable groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and migrants. In this way, the European Yearbook on Human Rights 2021 raises awareness of the complexities of human rights protection during a pandemic and beyond, and stimulates debate and further research in the field in order to ensure that future responses to crises not only pay respect to human rights, but are rooted in them.

The European Yearbook on Human Rights brings together renowned scholars, emerging voices and practitioners. Split into parts devoted to recent developments in the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE as well as through reports from the field, the contributions engage with some of the most important human rights issues and developments in Europe. The Yearbook helps to better understand the rich landscape of the European regional human rights system and is intended to stimulate discussions, critical thinking and further research in this field.

2018 has been another challenging year for human rights in Europe and globally. International human rights standards, the rule of law and international human rights institutions have come under increasing pressure. The eleventh volume of the European Yearbook on Human Rights discusses the backgrounds of these developments and outlines the potential implications and possible solutions. The backsliding of democracy in Poland and Hungary, the human rights fallout from Brexit and the human rights situations in Chechnya and the Ukraine are mentioned as just a few examples. The Yearbook also includes contributions on all-time classics such as the right to freedom of expression or fair trial and tensions between security and the protection of human rights, as well as more recent developments on the rights of persons with disabilities and the rights of children to be heard in political processes. The European Yearbook on Human Rights brings together renowned scholars, emerging voices and practitioners. Split into parts devoted to recent developments in the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE as well as through reports from the field, the contributions engage with some of the most important human rights issues and developments in Europe. The Yearbook helps to better understand the rich landscape of the European regional human rights system and is intended to stimulate discussions, critical thinking and further research in this field.