# Breaking vaccination barriers among migrants? Human rights and crisis preparedness

## TL;DR

This paper explores how human rights law can help address vaccination hesitancy among migrant populations, using Ukrainian refugees in Sweden as a case study.

## Contribution

The paper proposes a legal framework for vaccination obligations based on human rights law and identifies gaps in its implementation.

## Key findings

- Legal obligations related to vaccination are not consistently translated into national laws.
- Interviews with Ukrainian refugees reveal gaps in how vaccination obligations are communicated and implemented.
- The study highlights the need for clearer legal guidelines to improve crisis preparedness.

## Abstract

Vaccination hesitancy is one of the critical threats to public health. The coronavirus disease pandemic reconfirmed that certain groups of populations are more reluctant to vaccinate than others, particularly migrants. This article examines legal obligations related to protecting the right to health in addressing vaccination barriers among newly arrived adult migrants, taking Ukrainians granted temporary protection as an example. From human rights law requirements delineated by the United Nations and Council of Europe, it maps out a framework of vaccination-related obligations. Furthermore, the article tests the framework created in one national legal system—Sweden—to show where the gaps in transposing obligations into national law still exist. To deepen the analysis, the interview study with Ukrainian refugees in Sweden is presented, which allows reflection on what obligations have not reached their recipients and resulted in vaccination barriers. The article advocates for further specification of obligations related to vaccinations in both national and international laws for better crisis preparedness.