AG HAIR DONATES 5,000 BOTTLES OF HANDS FREE SANITIZER TO LOCAL CHARITIES AND RESTAURANTS
Vancouver-based haircare brand elevates hand sanitizer category with natural ingredients, luxurious packaging and charitable cause
Vancouver, B.C. (June 25, 2020): In response to the global pandemic that spread to North America in March, AG Hair swiftly redirected production towards manufacturing hand sanitizers to help meet public demand. Now, the Vancouver-based haircare company has donated 1,200 bottles each of its Hands Free hand sanitizer to the United Way, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, Greater Vancouver Food Bank and BC Cancer Society, as well as to local restaurants. AG Hair’s Hands Free hand sanitizer exceeds the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) sanitizer guidelines with a powerful combination of germ-killing corn-derived alcohol and soothing vitamin E, glycerin and aloe. The stylishly packaged sanitizer – available in a gel or spray formula – is now available to the public for $12.99 through the AG Hair website. Both products are manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art, 70,000-square-foot headquarters in Coquitlam, B.C.
“As businesses open and people begin to resume their lives after months of quarantine, we are proud to offer a natural hand sanitizer that fits seamlessly into everyday routines,” says Graham Fraser, CEO of AG Hair. “Recognizing that sanitizers and disinfectants are now a key part of self-care, we’ve designed our Hands Free sanitizers to be gentle enough for frequent use and aesthetic enough for display. We’re thrilled to donate thousands of these bottles to frontline and restaurant workers, to thank them for keeping us safe and healthy.”“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice continues to provide critical care to children with life-threatening illnesses and families across B.C.,” says Margaret McNeil, CEO of Canuck Place. “Generous donations like the hand sanitizer from AG Hair supports our clinical teams, staff and children and families in hospice through this challenging time. We are immensely grateful for the gift of this product and partnership with an incredible local business, AG Hair.”
Over the past 30 years, AG Hair has built a reputation as a leading producer of professional grade haircare products that are cruelty-free and crafted without salt, PABA, parabens or DEA. Certified by Health Canada and the FDA as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug production facility and a Health Canada Natural Health Product (NHP) facility, AG Hair follows strict GMP guidelines with a qualified team of R&D and QC/QA technicians overseeing all aspects of production. The company was also recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2020 for overall business performance and sustained growth.
Committed to giving back to communities around the world, AG Hair is a proud partner of One Girl Can, a Vancouver-based charity that strives for gender equality through education for girls living in extreme poverty in Kenya. For more information about AG Hair or to purchase Hands Free hand sanitizer, visit www.aghair.com.
-###-About AG Hair Known for their meticulous selection of natural ingredients, AG creates a new standard of beauty through handcrafted products that deliver on their promise. Founded in 1989 in Vancouver, Canada by John and Lotte Davis, AG has become a name synonymous with integrity and a brand whose devotees can't help but 'Use. Love. Repeat.' A portion of every bottle sold supports One Girl Can, a registered charity that provides educational opportunities to impoverished girls living in marginalized areas of Kenya. www.aghair.com
Canada may be losing its status as a top global destination for new medicine launches
TORONTO, June 25, 2020 /CNW/ - Canada has long been considered a top global jurisdiction for new medicine launches. However, a new report published by Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) shows that new medicine launches in Canada fell dramatically in 2019.
LSO commissioned IQVIA Inc., a global leader in health data and analytics, to examine the commercialization of new medicines in Canada and other top global jurisdictions from the past 20 years (2000 to 2019). The report shows that Canada has been a top destination for new medicine launches over the past 20 years and has steadily improved its global standing over time. Up until 2018, Canada was gradually getting faster and more extensive access to therapies relative to other countries.
However, the research shows a sharp decline in the number of new drug launches in Canada in 2019, from 22 in 2018 to just 13 in 2019, despite the overall number of global launches rising during the year. In the last quarter of 2019, there was only one new drug launch in Canada.
This report substantiates concerns raised by Canadian and global life sciences leaders in a survey commissioned by Life Sciences Ontario earlier this year to help measure the impacts of the federal government's new price controls for patented medicines in Canada (http://bit.ly/MedPriceControlsSurvey). The survey revealed unanimity on the expected negative impacts of the changes, including delayed medicine launches in Canada.
"This new research shows that Canadian patients have been benefiting over recent years from new treatments being made available in Canada almost as quickly as anywhere else in the world but that we are throwing away this advantage in a short-sighted attempt to lower drug prices at unreasonably low levels. And we are doing this at a critical time where Canadians need access to new medicines and vaccines, especially to combat COVID-19," states Jason Field, President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario.
The report shows that among 37 new therapies launched globally in 2018, over half of them (21) were not launched in Canada. The majority of the medicines not commercialized in Canada were for rare diseases and cancer.
For Barry Stein, President and CEO of Colorectal Cancer Canada and President of the Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec, the report flags a number of concerns. He notes that "Timely access to new and effective drugs that improve patient outcomes, including access to new therapies through clinical trials, may mean the difference between life and death for many patients, but particularly those with cancer." Stein also observes that "New innovations in precision medicines, immunotherapies and other targeted treatments benefit cancer patients and society as a whole. It is therefore crucial that we maintain a fertile research environment encouraged by reimbursement for these new innovations so that all Canadians can benefit from them in a timely manner."
LSO's Jason Field supports the government's decision to delay implementation of the federal regulations as an opportunity to revisit the policy, noting that "we hope the federal government will revise the regulations to ensure Canadians don't suffer further from delayed or lack of access to new treatments and vaccines."
About Life Sciences Ontario Life Sciences Ontario is a member-driven organization that represents and promotes the province's vibrant and diverse life sciences sector. Ontario is currently home to one of the largest life sciences clusters in North America, contributing $58 billion to Ontario's GDP, and providing almost 200,000 direct and indirect jobs for Ontarians. About 1-in-13 jobs in Ontario are in life sciences or supported by its activity. LSO collaborates with governments, academia, industry, and other life science organizations in Ontario and across Canada to promote and encourage commercial success throughout the sector. Membership in Life Sciences Ontario includes individuals, students, emerging companies, investors, service providers, and companies with marketed products. LSO is dedicated to promoting Ontario's life sciences sector internationally. Visit lifesciencesontario.ca for more information.
ROUSSELOT INTRODUCES X-PURE® GelMA FOR TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
Irving, United States [25 June 2020] — Rousselot, a Darling Ingredients brand and the global leader of collagen-based solutions, takes on the digital challenge and introduces X-Pure® GelMA at Bio Digital 2020. The first GMP-ready range of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) biomaterials suitable for preclinical and clinical applications, X-Pure® GelMA is part of the X-Pure portfolio of ultra-pure gelatins and collagens, suitable for use as biomaterials in 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
GelMA, the most versatile biological environment for cells
Methacryloyl is a commonly used crosslinker, important to increase the melting point and mechanical strength of gelatin-based constructs. In GelMA hydrogels, the inherent bioactivity, biodegradability, and cell compatibility of gelatin are combined with the tailorability of photo-crosslinking. This combination holds a huge potential for the creation of tunable biological environments for the culture of various eukaryotic cells at body temperature.
X-Pure GelMA - The first GMP-ready gelatin methacryloyl
GelMA-oriented patent applications have been growing exponentially over the last 5 years, with many of these research concepts now being translated into the clinic. However, standard GelMA products often carry high and variable levels of soluble impurities originating from either the gelatin raw material or the chemical synthesis process. The presence of these impurities such as endotoxins and/or MA residues are detrimental for in-body use but can also affect the success of in vitro applications.
Rousselot’s unique purification process, centered around a two-stage routine, results in ultra-low levels of pyrogens and residual methacrylic acid, providing an excellent safety profile to the product. Further, consistent batch-to batch quality ensures reliable results and shorter lead times to the clinic.
Readily available, X-Pure GelMA can be produced in compliance with GMP regulatory requirements for quality, raw material sourcing, and documentation for approval across all major regulators worldwide, thereby minimizing regulatory risks and optimizing the pace of product development.
With full and validated traceability of raw materials, and with ultra-low levels of impurities such as pyrogens and methacrylic acid, X-Pure GelMA can significantly reduce time to clinic”, explains Tanja Vervust, Global Director Rousselot Biomedical. ‘Rousselot’s global presence and biomaterials expertise enable access to an extensive IP portfolio as well as a reliable security of supply, providing real added value to the high purity of the new range.’
The new range covers a broad choice of molecular weights and modification degrees of gelatin methacryloyl biomaterials. This allows close collaboration with customers to determine the right specifications to accurately produce custom-made solutions.
ENDS
Editor’s note:
Rousselot is the global leader of collagen-based solutions[1] for the food, health and nutrition, biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors. Working in partnership with our global customer-base we deliver advanced ingredient solutions that enable innovation, excite today’s consumers, and contribute to public health. Through our state-of-the-art operations, extensive technical expertise and sustained scientific research, we help our customers to achieve their goals and create world-class products. Rousselot is a brand of Darling Ingredients. www.rousselot.com
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Lumino Health connect patients to local health care providers
TORONTO, June 24, 2020 /CNW/ - Connecting with a health care provider like a physiotherapist or chiropractor once you're out of the hospital can be a challenge. After a surgery or procedure, patients are eager to get back on their feet but often don't know where to access local care. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is now offering Lumino Health's Provider Searchtool on their patient care pathways website. Lumino Health network is Canada's largest network of providers with access to 150,000 health professionals.
Sunnybrook's digital care pathways aim to reduce some of the anxiety that patients may feel about their care journey. MySunnybrook's digital care pathways walk people through their journey from admission to the time they leave Sunnybrook, providing tips and resources along the way. Lumino Health's Provider Search is now included on the website as a navigational tool to help patients find health care providers virtually or in their community.
"We understand that patient recovery and healing continues outside of the hospital," said Craig DuHamel, Vice-President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations and Office of the Patient Experience. "We want to help make this process as smooth as possible for our Sunnybrook community. Lumino Health's network of health providers will connect people to the support they need, virtually or close to home."
Lumino Health helps people find health care providers, connect virtually and access the latest resources and innovations. Sun Life created the platform as a commitment to help Canadians live healthier lives. Features of Provider Search and the Lumino Health platform include:
Access to over 15,000 health care providers who offer virtual care services
Ability to choose criteria such as language preference and location when searching for local physiotherapists, massage therapists, mental health professionals and other health care providers
Access to more than 14 million user ratings on health care providers' services
Information on cost for health care providers in your area
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Sunnybrook to help patients get the ongoing support and care they need for recovery," said Chris Denys, Senior Vice-President, Possibilities, Lumino Health. "When it comes to taking care of yourself, finding the right health care provider, solution or information can make all the difference. At Lumino Health, our goal is to empower Canadians by connecting them with the tools and resources they need to be healthy."
About Lumino Health Lumino Health network is an innovation from Sun Life, launched in fall 2018. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada created the platform as a commitment to helping Canadians live healthier lives. As Canada's premier network of health resources, LuminoHealth.ca helps Canadians find healthcare providers near them in seconds and access resources and innovations to live healthier lives. In 2019, Lumino Health was awarded the "Reinventor" award by PWC for their innovative and industry-disrupting platform.
About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,023 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.
About Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is inventing the future of health care for the 1.3 million patients the hospital cares for each year through the dedication of its more than 10,000 staff and volunteers. An internationally recognized leader in research and education and a full affiliation with the University of Toronto distinguishes Sunnybrook as one of Canada's premier academic health sciences centres. Sunnybrook specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies, critically ill newborns and adults, offering specialized rehabilitation, and treating and preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological and psychiatric disorders, orthopaedic and arthritic conditions and traumatic injuries. The hospital also has a unique and national leading program for the care of Canada's war veterans.
GIMLI, MB, June 24, 2020 /CNW/ - Aurora Recovery Centre, a private, 70-bed inpatient addictions treaent facility near Winnipeg is turning the spotlight on its Chief Operating Officer.
Steve Low has been promoted to President, effective immediately.
Aurora founder and chairman Paul Melnuk made the announcement today.
Low, an addictions clinician, treatment program developer and referral manager with over 30 years' experience in the treatment industry, became COO at Aurora in January. Just two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, dramatically altering the way treatment is given across Canada. As staff and the leadership team adapted at Aurora, Low has been overseeing and implementing clinical and business model changes that have positioned the facility in a positive trajectory as the province and country begins to re-open from the pandemic.
Melnuk believes Low is the right man at the right time.
"My intention in becoming the owner of Aurora was never to be day-to-day. It is not my strength," said Melnuk. "Though I have a strong foundation in my own recovery, I understand enough about the medical, clinical side of addiction to realize how little I know. I am not a doctor or psychologist. Lives are at stake. That is why hiring experienced, knowledgeable people is paramount to the success of our facility."
"In bringing on Steve Low, watching him settle in, seeing his plans and ideas for Aurora be put into action, even in the middle of this unforeseen pandemic, convinced me that now is the time to say, formally, he is our guy."
Low, 53, says he is humbled and honoured to be given the opportunity.
"From my first look at Aurora, I was excited in a way I had never been before. The facility, the staff, the potential. It's a gem. And the people of Manitoba…I've never felt so welcomed by so many, ever in my life. What a special place to live, to work. Getting the chance to become part of the Aurora team was beyond humbling. Getting to be the leader? Amazing."
Low's resume is extensive. Born in Quebec, raised in the Philippines and on Vancouver Island, he has counselled those suffering from substance use and process disorders in private practice and in large inpatient facilities in Western Canada for decades. Besides his extensive clinical experience, he has deep roots in Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Low has also developed relationships with the Canadian Armed Forces, police departments, major airlines, Alberta's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and many other prominent professional communities.
Low worked closely with the original program developers at two of the country's top inpatient facilities: Edgewood Treatment Centre in Nanaimo, B.C. and Cedars in Cobble Hill, B.C. As Aurora heads into its fifth year of existence, they now have as President a man with deep connections in the national and global family of addiction medicine.
As one who has supervised and directed clinical teams in multiple facilities, Low and his wife, Donna, a renowned clinician in developing family recovery programs, and their teenaged daughter are looking forward to continuing to spread the healing message of Aurora across the country.
Low's philosophy of treatment can be summed up in one succinct message: he believes it to be futile to try and treat substance use disorders, or chronic conditions, in an acute care model. He is a strong believer in a minimum 24-month continuum of care model to build capital and improve the likelihood of someone achieving and maintaining recovery.
"Recovery is a continuum. It is not just 'come here for 40 days and you're all better,'" he says. "That type of operation is just not effective. There are so many aspects to recovery. We have to treat the whole system of each person. The family. The work place. The on-going recovery – so continuing care. That can be anything from extended care on site to sober living options. It can include stabilization programs or recovery enhancement courses, Intensive Outpatient Programs, aftercare meetings – whatever is necessary to build up a person's recovery capital."
The other key component of his philosophy relates to referrals and referral agencies who recommend and send patients to Aurora.
"I have always worked with the philosophy of referral partners being an integral part of the treatment team," he said. "Connecting with them each week, updating them every step of the way, sometimes bringing them into case conferencing, working with them from early in the treatment process in designing the member's return-to-work plan. Collaborative partnerships have always, in my work, produced the best results."
Aurora Recovery Centre is a world-class, 70-bed addiction treatment centre in Gimli, Manitoba. Both inpatient and outpatient services assist people recovering from addiction and mental health issues across Canada through its 24/7 on-site medical detox, personalized assessment and care, and comprehensive after-care solutions.
SOURCE Aurora Recovery Centre
Global Healthcare System On Precipice Of Extraordinary Change
Boston, MA, June 24, 2020 — When was the last time you drove to your local bank to deposit a check? Or held a paper airline ticket in your hand? Technology has drastically transformed how we interact with businesses, but the healthcare industry has been slow to adapt … until now.
“If the difference between evolution and revolution is the speed of change, then healthcare is now in the mode of revolutionary change,” notes global business expert Harry Glorikian.
He points to the uptick in electronic storage of medical records, convenient online patient portals, and innovative applications of data to help pinpoint outbreaks and expose drug-resistant diseases. We have entered a rapidly evolving era of medicine that values data-driven approaches and prioritizes evidence-based care, and the best is yet to come, Glorikian predicts.
In MoneyBall Medicine: Thriving in the New Data-Driven Healthcare Market, Glorikian (along with award-winning healthcare writer Malorye Allison Branca) show through examples what a new data-driven healthcare system could look like when implemented on a global basis. The authors reveal where data and cutting-edge analytics are already advancing healthcare and creating new and evolving business opportunities. Data and technology are already impacting drug development, precision medicine, and how patients with rare diseases are diagnosed and treated. Digital devices and artificial intelligence are helping doctors do their jobs faster and with greater accuracy.
The book includes interviews with dozens of healthcare leaders, and describes the business challenges and opportunities arising for those working in one of the most vibrant sectors of the world’s economy. The authors map out many of the changes taking place, and describe how they are impacting everyone from patients to researchers to insurers, and outline some predictions for the healthcare industry in the years to come.
The author makes a compelling case for embracing technology and the use of data to revolutionize the healthcare system for the greater good of patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Author Harry Glorikian also hosts the MoneyBall Medicine™ Podcast, a series all about the data-driven transformation of the healthcare and life sciences landscape. An influential global business expert with more than three decades of experience building successful ventures in the U.S. and around the world, Glorikian is well known for his achievements in the life sciences, healthcare, diagnostics and healthcare IT industries. He is a sought-after speaker who has addressed the National Institutes of Health, Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference, World Theranostics Congress and other audiences worldwide.
He has written numerous articles for industry publications, appeared on CBS Evening News, and has been quoted regularly by Dow Jones, The Boston Globe, BioWorld Today, Los Angeles Times, London Independent, Medical Device Daily, Science Magazine, Genetic Engineering News and many other media outlets. He is also the author of Commercializing Novel IVD’s: A Comprehensive Manual for Success.
MoneyBall Medicine: Thriving in the New Data-Driven Healthcare Market Publisher: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group ISBN-10: 1138198048 ISBN-13: 978-1138198043 Available from Amazon.com
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Journaling Can Help You Power Your True Potential
Sacramento, CA, June 24, 2020— If you’ve always wanted to try journaling but didn’t know how to get started, take heart. With the right tools, it can be easy, enjoyable, and most importantly, it can be life changing.
Empowered: A Motivational Journal for Women contains inspirational writing prompts, thought-provoking exercises and quotes worth contemplating to encourage you to open your mind, manifest your goals and reflect on your dreams.
Written by award-winning author and licensed psychotherapist Michaela Renee Johnson, Empowered is designed to help you connect with your deeper self and visualize your intentions through creative exercises. The author can address topics, such as, ‘how to find hope and create dreams during uncertain times,’ and ‘how to focus on things you want to create in your life while dealing with change,’ among others.
Organized around the themes of dream, believe and achieve, Empowered includes exercises that ask you to explore your feelings and thoughts through writing, while others encourage you to go beyond the book to meditate, listen to music or enjoy nature―and return to contemplate your experiences. There’s no right or wrong way to use this motivational journal; the important thing is to begin.
Empowered: A Motivational Journal for Women provides:
Creative freedom―Explore out-of-the-box ideas like drawing and coloring, creating a vision board, or crafting a reflective poem.
Your own space―The colorful, beautifully illustrated modern layout gives you abundant room to express yourself directly in the pages of this motivational journal.
Inspiring words―Cultivate a positive mindset with quotes from influential women like Alice Walker, Amelia Earhart and Michelle Obama.
You can unlock your true potential and create positive changes in your life―and journaling is a powerful way to start.
Michaela Renee Johnson is an award-winning author, licensed psychotherapist and host of the top iTunes podcast, Be You Find Happy, which encourages people to speak their truth with grace and live a courageous life of authenticity. Her initiative, Be You Find Happy, holds workshops and conversations on finding happiness in spite of life's setbacks and has landed her speaking opportunities across the nation. She is an avid adventurer, having traveled to more than 20 countries, and self-proclaimed "Boho Mom" who loves all things metaphysical as well as poetic quotes. She is a Sagittarius and an ocean-lover who lives in Northern California with her husband and young son, and a homestead full of animals. In her spare time, she's often hiking, doing yoga, gardening, golfing or reading.
Bring Home a Westerlay Orchid and Experience Powerful Plant Healing, Including Reduced Stress and Better Sleep
Add an orchid bloom to any indoor space to unlock science-backed health and wellness benefits
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (June 24th, 2020): When customers bring home a Westerlay Orchid bloom, they get far more than a beautiful decor piece. Science suggests that Orchids are in a class of houseplants which can offer a variety of positive mental benefits, including an uplifted mood, sharpened focus, and more restful sleep. For three generations, Westerlay Orchids has built a solid reputation for producing some of the Pacific Coast’s most beautiful and unique flowers, cultivated right in the heart of Carpinteria with effortless at-home care and environmental impact in mind. Now, amid the battle against COVID-19 as well as several social and political stressors, their innovative team shares how orchids just might be one of the best-kept secrets to achieving balance and better health.
“The health and wellness aspects of adding living plants to any space has been well documented by the scientific community,” explains Westerlay Orchids Director of Sales Jeff Karpman. “With a kaleidoscope of incredible colors and unique adaptability to a range of environments, our premium orchids are a great place to start.”
A team of Japanese researchers found that actively caring for and observing an indoor plant can help reduce work stress while supporting overall mental health. The presence of a plant is thought to be instrumental in inducing periodic mindfulness breaks, which can help to relax the mind, lower the heart rate, and improve sleep.
Adding plants to just one room of your home or office can work wonders for air quality, removing up to 60% of airborne molds and bacteria. They also help to regulate the environment, acting as a natural humidifier during particularly dry seasons. Some studies reveal that regular exposure to living green plants can boost concentration, memory, and creativity. Students and employees with a view of natural flora have also been found to enjoy higher self-esteem, greater productivity, and less irritation from symptoms of seasonal allergies and asthma.
Inspire any home or office space with a breathtaking Westerlay Orchids bloom and experience the health and wellness benefits for yourself. Share the healing with loved ones across the Pacific Coast through the company’s “Box of Orchids” program, order direct on www.BoxOfOrchids.com. Explore their stunning collection of California-grown varieties - including the best-selling 5-inch Phaelanopsis and color-infused Gemstone orchids - online at WesterlayOrchids.com or in their Carpinteria showroom at 3504 Via Real. Contact Leigh-Anne Anderson of Anderson PR at leighanne@anderson-pr.com to book an exclusive interview with Westerlay Orchids President Toine Overgaag. Follow on Instagram @WesterlayOrchids to view the latest design releases, as well as upcoming workshops and showroom events.
About Westerlay Orchids:
Based in beautiful Carpinteria, California, Westerlay Orchids is proud to serve as Southern California’s largest commercial orchid grower. The company annually distributes over 3 million orchids directly to customers and to local and national supermarket chains, as well as florists and designers. Westerlay Orchids is a pioneer in environmental and sustainability practices and regularly contributes to local schools, nonprofit organizations, and many other community causes. Visit www.WesterlayOrchids.com to learn more about the third-generation, family-run company.
This year’s Peoples Under Threatindex underscores how, while some threatened minority and indigenous communities are systematically more exposed to the illness, others are scapegoated in conspiracy theories regarding the origin of the pandemic, while others face difficulties accessing healthcare services due to their remote locations or systemic discrimination.
The index uses authoritative indicators to identify those countries around the world most at risk of genocide, mass killing or systematic violent repression. Although the highest-ranked countries remain mostly the same as last year – with Syria, Somalia, South Sudan and Afghanistan at the top, closely followed by Yemen, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, then Sudan, Pakistan, and Libya, this year’s edition of the ranking marks a clear rise for countries such as Burkina Faso, jumping 25 places to the 45th position, Indonesia, up 18 places to the 51st position, and Cambodia, now 46th, up 17 places compared to the 2019 edition of the index.
‘Coronavirus has made all people feel under threat, but for minorities and indigenous peoples living under threat is neither “unprecedented” nor the “new normal”, but merely an extension of daily vulnerabilities, augmented by the virus’, says Joshua Castellino, MRG’s Executive Director. ‘Communities affected by violence and conflict are exposed to daily hardships, but as the virus hits, these will be exacerbated, calling for urgent attention to the notion of human security and ensuring it is a right for all.’
Regarding Africa in particular, there are five countries among the top ten. Looking further down the list, the top 20 include Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Burundi, Eritrea and Mali.
‘All the factors that cause conflict are present in these countries. Climate change, socio-economic inequalities, competition for scarce resources and bad governance are all combining and driving communities against each other’, explains Agnes Kabajuni, MRG’s Africa Regional Manager. ‘The proliferation of firearms and extremist ideologies are all but making it easy for conflicts to ignite and escalate.’
A key issue that runs throughout the ranking is the absence of good governance. It is in situations of political instability that COVID-19 hits minorities and indigenous peoples the hardest, reinforcing the precarious situation of populations that have previously been affected by economic collapse, mass migration and displacement as well as food scarcity, such as Venezuela’s Afro-descendants and indigenous peoples. Armed conflicts moreover often bring about (or reinforce) healthcare limitations in capacity and procurement, leaving existing neglected minorities in even greater risk of sickness and death, such as Iraq’s Yezidis, Bahá’ís or Mandaeans.
‘International leaders are fond of saying that we’re in in this together, but in reality both governments and armed opposition groups in the world’s conflict zones are weaponizing the pandemic to gain a short-term advantage, seeking to deny medical or sanitary supplies to their enemies or even targeting hospitals and clinics for attack’, emphasises Mark Lattimer, Executive Director of the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights.
The millions of people displaced by these conflicts and living in crowded refugee camps across the world are particularly at risk of COVID-19. Isolated by lockdown measures, deprived of medical aid, supplies and personnel, displaced populations often living in informal settlements constitute worrying potential centres of diffusion for the virus. The camps located near Idlib in Syria and Yemen’s Marib governorate are at especially high risk, as are the camps around Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, housing nearly 1 million Rohingya who have been rendered stateless but have so far survived ethnic cleansing of such intensity that the Myanmar government stands accused of genocide.
Although some reassuring news of COVID-related ceasefires have somewhat watered down the risks to which war-affected populations might otherwise have been exposed, the pandemic has also strongly hindered international solidarity and cooperation. As the world’s borders closed abruptly, funds as well as the public’s attention was drawn to an almost exclusively domestic crisis management agenda, depriving countries such as Yemen and Libya of much-needed international cooperation in mediation efforts. International human rights enforcement mechanisms, including crucial investigations into alleged abuses, have also been suspended in numerous countries.
This is the 15th year that the Peoples under Threat index has been released by MRG, joined in recent years by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights. It is based on indicators from authoritative sources and continues to provide early warning of potential mass atrocities.
‘As levels of threat rise and mutate, we look to reflecting these more clearly, and predict that as global levels of uncertainty grow, the threat levels will increase’, Castellino adds. ‘We said “never again” to genocide when the UN was built, yet today rising xenophobia, hostility and scarcity of resources make for a toxic mix that needs to be followed closely, combined with innovative action toward mitigation and change, as called for by social movements including climate activists and #BlackLivesMatter’.
The 2020 edition of the Peoples Under Threat index focuses on the various ways the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening the situation of minorities and indigenous peoples at risk across the globe. The index combines internationally recognised rankings to identify those countries around the world most at risk of genocide, mass killing or systematic violent repression.
The calculation of the index includes indicators of democracy or good governance from the World Bank; conflict data from the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research and the Center for Systemic Peace; data on the number of refugees, internally displaced persons and other populations of concern from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); indicators of group division or elite factionalisation from the Fund for Peace and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; the US State Failure Task Force data on prior genocides and politicides; and the country credit risk classification published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (as a proxy for trade openness).
Notestoeditors
Visit MRG’s online map which visualizes data from Peoples UnderThreat. View the map by year or by country, and find links to reports, press releases and further information on the communities under threat.
Minority Rights Group International (MRG) is the leading international human rights organization working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples. We work with more than 150 partners in over 50 countries.
The Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights is an international initiative to develop civilian-led monitoring of violations of international humanitarian law or human rights; to secure accountability and reparation for those violations; and to develop the practice of civilian rights.
Interview opportunities:
Joshua Castellino, Executive Director, Minority Rights Group International (London, UK)
Mark Lattimer, Executive Director, Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (London, UK)
Agnes Kabajuni, Africa Regional Manager, Minority Rights Group Africa (Kampala, Uganda)
Hi Guys! Thanks for tuning in to this weekend episode of the Train It Right Life. On this weeks Episode I discuss good days and bad days and doing what you have to now to be able to do want you want later. Please feel free to leave a review and share with your friends!
Vancouver, B.C. (June 25, 2020): In response to the global pandemic that spread to North America in March, AG Hair swiftly redirected production towards manufacturing hand sanitizers to help meet public demand. Now, the Vancouver-based haircare company has donated 1,200 bottles each of its Hands Free hand sanitizer to the United Way, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, Greater Vancouver Food Bank and BC Cancer Society, as well as to local restaurants. AG Hair’s Hands Free hand sanitizer exceeds the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) sanitizer guidelines with a powerful combination of germ-killing corn-derived alcohol and soothing vitamin E, glycerin and aloe. The stylishly packaged sanitizer – available in a gel or spray formula – is now available to the public for $12.99 through the AG Hair website. Both products are manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art, 70,000-square-foot headquarters in Coquitlam, B.C. 
“As businesses open and people begin to resume their lives after months of quarantine, we are proud to offer a natural hand sanitizer that fits seamlessly into everyday routines,” says Graham Fraser, CEO of AG Hair. “Recognizing that sanitizers and disinfectants are now a key part of self-care, we’ve designed our Hands Free sanitizers to be gentle enough for frequent use and aesthetic enough for display. We’re thrilled to donate thousands of these bottles to frontline and restaurant workers, to thank them for keeping us safe and healthy.”“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice continues to provide critical care to children with life-threatening illnesses and families across B.C.,” says Margaret McNeil, CEO of Canuck Place. “Generous donations like the hand sanitizer from AG Hair supports our clinical teams, staff and children and families in hospice through this challenging time. We are immensely grateful for the gift of this product and partnership with an incredible local business, AG Hair.”
Committed to giving back to communities around the world, AG Hair is a proud partner of One Girl Can, a Vancouver-based charity that strives for gender equality through education for girls living in extreme poverty in Kenya. For more information about AG Hair or to purchase Hands Free hand sanitizer, visit www.aghair.com. 
