In this episode we talk with Tim Fish Hodgson, socio-economic Human Rights expert at the International Commission of Jurists, about the ICJ briefing paper he put together, in collaboration with activists and stakeholders from within the SADC states, titled “The Unvaccinated: Equality not Charity in Southern Africa”. Following this report, we first talk about how Global North/ Global South disparities have generated severe inequalities in vaccine access. We go beyond this dichotomy though to address the ways in which Global South states, with a particular focus on the Southern African region, have exacerbated the lack of access to vaccines. Finally we hear from Tim about recommendations and further advocacy in the fight to achieve equitable health rights.
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In Conversation with:
Tim Fish Hodgson (International Commission of Jurists)

Tim Fish Hodgson joined the ICJ in October 2017. He is responsible for designing and implementing ICJ’s work around Economic, Social and Cultural rights in Africa and assists with ICJ’s global work on ESC rights and has worked in and on a range of countries including South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, India, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar and Uzbekistan. Before joining the ICJ, he worked as a Senior Researcher at the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (2016-17); as a Legal Researcher at SECTION27 (2013-16); and as a law clerk for Justice Zakeria Yacoob at the Constitutional Court of South Africa (2011-12). Tim has published various opinion pieces, book chapters, research reports, submissions to state and institutions, and peer reviewed journal articles. He holds a Bachelor of Business Science (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Cape Town. He also holds a Master of Laws from the University of Michigan (2013) and a Master of Studies in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford (2017, with Distinction).
Twitter: @TimFish42
References
- Chaskalson, Julia. “Covid-19 vaccine patents: World Trade Organisation waiver is important, but so is fixing SA’s outdated laws” Daily Maverick. 10 March 2021. Available at https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2021-03-10-covid-19-vaccine-patents-world-trade-organisation-waiver-is-important-but-so-is-fixing-sas-outdated-laws/
- Domino, Jenny et al. “Living Like People Who Die Slowly: The Need for Right to Health Compliant COVID-19 Responses”, The International Commission of Jurists, Report. September 2020. Available at http://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Universal-Global-Health-COVID-19-Publications-Reports-Thematic-Reports-2020-ENG.pdf
- Hodgson, Timothy Fish. “The Unvaccinated: Equality not Charity in Southern Africa”. International Commission of Jurists. Briefing Paper. May 2021. Available at https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Africa-The-Unvaccinated-Publications-Reports-2021-ENG.pdf
- Panel discussion: “The Unvaccinated: Equality not Charity in Southern Africa”. Available at https://www.facebook.com/111433906878741/videos/3751124338349818
- Emcke, Carolin in conversation with Alice Hasters, Eva von Redecker and Christian Katzer. “‘Danach’ – was sind die Lehren aus der Pandemie?” [‘After’ – what are the lessons from the pandemic?] streitraum. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvwhOzwOlf8 [German]
- Fredman, Sandra. “Providing Equality: Substantive Equality and the Positive Duty to Provide”, South African Journal on Human Rights, 2005, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 163-190, DOI: 10.1080/19962126.2005.11865132
- Jennings, Michael. “The G7’s vaccine pledge: donating 1 billion doses to end the pandemic is far too little – viewpoint”. The Conversation. June 22, 2021. Available at https://theconversation.com/the-g7s-vaccine-pledge-donating-1-billion-doses-to-end-the-pandemic-is-far-too-little-viewpoint-162902
- Lao, David. “‘The world is watching us’: Pressure mounts for Canada to share surplus COVID-19 vaccines”. Global News. 3 June 2021. Available at https://globalnews.ca/news/7918857/canada-covid-vaccine-sharing-responsibility/
- Medicins Sans Fronteirs. “WTO COVID-19 TRIPS waiver proposal: Myths, realities and an opportunity for governments to protect access to lifesaving medical tools in a pandemic”.: Access Campaign. 3 December 2020. Available at https://msfaccess.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/MSF-AC_COVID_IP_TRIPSWaiverMythsRealities_Dec2020.pdf
- Sekalala S, Forman L, Hodgson T, et al. “Decolonising human rights: how intellectual property laws result in unequal access to the COVID-19 vaccine? BMJ Global Health. 2021 ; 6:e006169. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006169
- Usher, Ann Danaiya. “A beautiful idea: how COVAX has fallen short”. The Lancet. Vol 397, Issue. 10292. June 19, 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01367-2
- “Palestinian Authority calls off vaccine exchange with Israel”. Al Jazeera. 18 Jun 2021 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/18/palestinians-to-get-1-million-covid-vaccine-doses-in-israel-swap