Humanitarian Relief, Social Protection & Vulnerable Groups

Publications of the Humanitarian Relief, Social Protection & Vulnerable Groups Task Force express the findings, results, and views of members of the Humanitarian Relief, Social Protection & Vulnerable Groups Task Force. They do not reflect the findings, results, and views of Commissioners not engaged on the Task Force or of the Lancet family of journals or other publication outlets unless explicitly specified. The Humanitarian Relief, Social Protection & Vulnerable Groups Task Force does not contribute to other publications or statements issued by the Lancet COVID-19 Commission or the Task Forces or to other publications in the Lancet family of journals or other publication outlets, unless explicitly specified.

Task Force members serve in their individual capacities, on an honorary basis. The Secretariat of the Humanitarian Relief, Social Protection & Vulnerable Groups Task Force is hosted by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), Columbia University. 

Task Force Publications:

Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron (Co-chair) Co-Chair of UHC2030, Honorary President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and former Senator in the Mexican Congress (Mexico)

Gabriela Cuevas Barron studied Political Science at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), in addition to having participated in numerous programs and diplomas related to public administration. She was elected Federal Member of Parliament for the first time when she was 21 years old. MORE

Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga (Co-chair) Former President, Republic of Latvia (Latvia)

Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga was President of Latvia (1999-2007), President of the World Leadership Alliance/Club de Madrid (2014-2019). Currently Co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center. She was Special Envoy on the United Nations reform and official candidate for UN Secretary General in 2006. MORE

Mr. George Laryea-Adjei (Co-chair) UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia (Ghana)

George Laryea-Adjei started work as UNICEF Director of Evaluation in October 2017. Previously, he worked for UNICEF as Deputy Director with responsibility for corporate strategy, as Deputy Representative and as Chief of Social Policy. Before joining UNICEF, Mr. Laryea-Adjei served as Senior Analyst to the Planning Commission of Ghana. MORE

Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Director, UCL Institute for Global Health, Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology (UK)

Ibrahim Abubakar (MBBS, DPH, MSc, PhD, FFPH, FRCPE, FRCP, FMedSci) is Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health. He led the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, UCL-TB and was a senior investigator at the MRC Clinical Trials Unit. He was head of TB at Public Health England.  MORE

Ms. Henia Dakkak Head of Policy and Liaison Unit/ Humanitarian Office, UNFPA (Jordan)

Henia Dakkak is the Head of Policy and Liaison Unit with The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Humanitarian Office. Dakkak provides UNFPA country and regional offices with advice on policy, coordination and technical support related to humanitarian preparedness, emergency response, disaster risk reduction, recovery and resilience. MORE

Ms. Nazneen Damji Policy Advisor on Gender Equality, Health and HIV, UN Women (USA)

Nazneen Damji is the Policy Advisor for Gender Equality, HIV and Health at UN Women. With over 20 years of professional experience promoting women’s rights and gender equality, she oversees UN Women’s policy and programming efforts on gender equality dimensions of HIV and AIDS, as well as, sexual and reproductive health and rights. MORE

Dr. Delanjathan Devakumar Clinical Senior Lecturer in Public Health, UCL (UK)

Delan is an Associate Professor in Child and Adolescent health and an honorary consultant in Public Health in the Global Health division of Public Health England. He qualified from the University of Manchester and then worked in clinical paediatrics in the UK and New Zealand. MORE

Dr. Isaac Iyinoluwa Olufadewa Executive Director, Slum and Rural Health Initiative (Nigeria)

Dr. Isaac Olufadewa is the Executive Director of Slum and Rural Health Initiative, a non-profit organization that delivers quality healthcare in underserved communities such as migrant/refugee camps, urban slums, disability centres among other historically marginalized areas in Nigeria and other regions of Africa. MORE

Mr. Anders Johnsson International Consultant (Sweden)

Anders Johnsson has dedicated his entire professional career since 1975 to international cooperation, diplomacy, and peace building. Throughout, he has focused on the defense of democracy, human rights, and gender equality. He has worked with more than 125 countries, where he has also developed political contacts at the most senior level. MORE

Dr. Selma Karabey Professor of Public Health, Istanbul University (Turkey)

Dr. Selma Karabey is Professor of Public Health at Istanbul University.  She currently serves as the Chair of Post-graduate Education Program on Public Health at the Istanbul Medical Faculty and the members of National Committee of Program Developing on Public Health Post-graduate Education. MORE

Dr. Ravza Kavakci Kan Member of Parliament, President of the Turkish Inter-Parliamentary Union Group (Turkey)

Dr. Kavakci Kan was elected as a Member of Parliament from Istanbul on AK Party ticket for the 25th term of Grand National Assembly of Turkey. She was re-elected for the 26th term on November 1st 2015 and for the 27th term on June 24th 2018. MORE

Mr. Ronald Labonté Professor, Contemporary Globalization and Health Equity, University of Ottawa (Canada)

Ronald Labonté PhD, FCAHS, HonFFPH, is Distinguished and former Canada Research Chair in Globalization and Health Equity and Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa; and Professor, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Australia. MORE

Dr. Helena Legido-Quigley Associate Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (UK)

Helena Legido-Quigley is an associate professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and has a joint position with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has conducted research on health policy and health systems in Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and currently with a focus on Southeast Asia. MORE

Prof. Peter Lloyd-Sherlock Professor of Social Policy & Int Development, University of East Anglia (UK)

My main focus of research is on older people in low and middle-income countries, especially issues related to health and long-term care. Contrary to popular belief, more older people live in developing regions than in developed ones. Despite this, the condition of older people and the wider effects of population ageing are still peripheral concerns in global health. MORE

Bishop Harold Calvin Ray CEO, The National Center For Faith Based Initiative (USA)

Bishop Harold Calvin Ray is Founder and Senior Pastor of Redemptive Life Fellowship church of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Executive Vice Presiding Bishop of the Global United Fellowship, under Presiding Bishop Neil C. Ellis. Recognized nationally and internationally for his revelational and prophetic ministry, delivered under an ostensible apostolic anointing. MORE

Ms. Gabriela Ramos Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO (France)

Gabriela Ramos is Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO. Gabriela previously served as the OECD Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20 and in this capacity supports the Secretary General’s strategic leadership and ensures that the Organization delivers on its mandates. MORE

Dr. Irwin Redlener Director, Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative (PRRI)(USA)

Irwin currently directs the Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative (PRRI) and is a Senior Research Scholar for the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. For seventeen years, Irwin served as the director of NCDP. He is a go-to resource for various media outlets. MORE

Ms. Karen Redlener Co-Founder, Children's Health Fund (CHF) & Member, New York City Board of Health (USA)

Karen Redlener’s roles have included active participation in developing, and, especially, operationalizing CHF’s mission to provide comprehensive health care for children living in poverty. Her work has included designing what has become Children’s Health Fund’s signature mobile pediatric clinic. MORE

Dr. Virgilio Viana Director-General of the Amazonas Sustainability Foundation (FAS) (Brazil)

Virgílio M. Viana graduated Forest Engineering at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP) and holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from Harvard University. He conducted his post-doc in sustainable development at the University of Florida. MORE