This article is focused on these Sustainable Development Goals:
The first confirmed case of the coronavirus originated from Wuhan, China in early December in the year of 2019. Unfortunately, anti-Asian racism has been fuelling since then. Anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise all around the world causing Asians to hide and tremble in fear. For the ones who did not hide well enough, they would get physically and verbally abused or spat at in public, car windows being smashed, and harassed for wearing a face mask because of their race.
It is indeed a fact that COVID-19 began in an Asian country, however, this fact does not imply that all Asians have the virus. In fact, South Korea, an East Asian country has been acknowledged as being successful in controlling the virus. Their strategies did not involve shutting down the economy but with widespread testing and advanced technology, it was possible to flatten the curve. Currently, the top three countries with the most confirmed cases are the United States, Brazil, and Russia all having over 500,000 cases. Interestingly, no Asian country can be found from the list yet, anti-Asian racism is continuing to grow.
According to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “the pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scaremongering” and he stated to “act now to strengthen the immunity of our societies against the virus of hate” towards the governments (May 8, 2020). Additionally, the UN committee (which is responsible for monitoring compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Form of Racial Discrimination) has strongly urged that governments adopt “national action plans against racial discrimination." The plans should include specific approaches to combat the growing issue of racism and discrimination. Enhanced policing of hate crimes to public messaging along with education programming encouraging tolerance were all seen as a solution.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Asians have been the target of derogatory language found in multiple media reports and also in statements by politicians. For instance, US President Donald Trump mentioned the term “Chineses virus” and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the term “Wuhan virus.” Another example can be seen when the governor of the Veneto region of Italy told journalists in February that the country would be better than China in handling the virus due to Italians “culturally strong attention to hygiene, washing hands, taking showers, whereas we have all seen the Chinese eating mice alive.” Many academic experts criticise the statements used by politicians as they determine that it contributed to the rise in racial harassment.
Many Asian-American health-care workers are facing the same racial discrimination issue in their workplaces and communities. Now, due to the racial hostility, Asian Americans, who represent 6 percent of the U.S. population, 18 percent of the country’s physicians, and 10 percent of its nurse practitioners are in a painful position. “People are worried about the transmission of a disease that they associate with foreignness and Asian face,” said Grace Kao, a Yale University sociologist, “Nothing erases what we look like.”
Looking at racism as one whole, it violated such principles of justice such as equal liberty or the difference principle. The world was able to develop as it is today as we all collaborated with each other. Numerous proverbs and words of saying mention that two is better than one. To control the virus, people must come together, but, before that, we must flatten the curve of racism. From the UNDP, Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions is acknowledged as one of the Sustainable Development Goals. Problems should be addressed and the topic must be educated which falls under Goal 4: Quality Education. We live in a world that considers collaboration as the key to success. Thus, having formal and accurate education about developing tolerance towards each other’s race is necessary. Being mindful is one way each individual can contribute towards solving the anti-Asian racism issue. When all the basic fundamental human rights are served, controlling a pandemic will become less painful. Creating awareness and being respectful to every race is needed as well. Always remember, change starts with you.
Works Cited
Baker, Calvin. “In a Pandemic, All Some People See Is Your Color.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 6 May 2020, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/coronavirus-racism/610609/.
“Being Asian-American in the Time of Covid-19 | Geoffrey Mak.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 May 2020, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/08/asian-american-coronavirus-geoffrey-mak.
“Covid-19 Fueling Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia Worldwide.” Human Rights Watch, 12 June 2020, www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/12/covid-19-fueling-anti-asian-racism-and-xenophobia-worldwide.
Donahue, and T. J. “What Makes Racism Wrong?” SSRN, 21 Oct. 2006, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=939000.
Fisher, Max, and Choe Sang-hun. “How South Korea Flattened the Curve.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Mar. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/world/asia/coronavirus-south-korea-flatten-curve.html.
Jan, Tracy. “Asian American Doctors and Nurses Are Fighting Racism and the Coronavirus.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 19 May 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/19/asian-american-discrimination/.
Zhou, Naaman. “Anti-Asian Racism Surges in NSW during Coronavirus Pandemic.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 June 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/01/anti-asian-racism-surges-in-nsw-during-coronavirus-pandemic.
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