ICG Lecture on
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
and Governance Reform in India : Experiences from Indian states

by Suraj Kumar
Chief Mentor, Neeti Foundation

Wednesday | 11th January 2017 | 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm

Organised by The International Centre Goa

Entry Free & Open to public

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Suraj Kumar is Chief Mentor at Neeti Foundation, New Delhi. He has worked in the development sector since 1993 at progressively senior levels (nearly 15 years with the UN) in design and implementation of programmes on governance, women’s leadership and human development, policy dialogue on rights-based development with governments, and UN coordination in India and South Asia. His portfolio covers programme leadership, policy advocacy and coordination with UN agencies, bilateral donors and governments. He has built partnerships on human development and governance with national governments (including national and state level election commissions and forums of parliamentarians and legislators) across South Asia.

Prior to joining Neeti Foundation, Suraj was with UN Women South Asia Regional Office in Delhi (November 2010 till 31 July 2013) where he managed the Regional Programme “Promoting Women’s Political Leadership and Gender Responsive Governance in South Asia”, covering 5 countries (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan). In India, the programme covered 65,000 elected women representatives in 16 districts in 5 states, to promote leadership skills, including understanding of electoral processes, effective campaigning, resource mobilization and dialogue with election authorities, including State Election Commissions.

A significant part of Suraj’s career and professional development has been in the area of human development, beginning with the Madhya Pradesh Human Development Report. His current research focuses on “Public Policy Instruments for Governance Reform- Lessons from State level initiatives in India” in which he looks at the experience of the Governance and HDR Projects in India and makes a case for building capacity at the grassroots level to generate demand and public pressure – so that the political will to improve governance can be sustained.