Gopalan Balagopal

7, Bel Air, 74, Brookefield Main Road,

Bangalore 560037

Phone: 91 9980 4119 935

Email:

An experienced international civil servant with strengths in effective negotiations, managing diverse teams and producing measurable results in the social sector.

Career Highlights

Dec 09- / Independent International Consultant
Work includes long-term retainer for UNICEF in Africa (both East and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa on strengthening civil registration systems. Periodic work for other agencies including UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Sudan; on social protection and cash transfers for children in South Sudan; child protection (Laos); child rights advocacy (Maldives), Leadership Training (UNICEF East Asia).
Interest in promoting reduction of malnutrition among children in India and furthering development among tribal populations in Wayanad district, Kerala where I am currently based.
Sept ’06 to Nov ‘09 / UNICEF Representative, DPR Korea, Pyongyang: responsible for leading and managing UNICEF’s work in North Korea. Results achieved include substantially improved access to monitoring impact of interventions, notably immunization of children; negotiating for new interventions including community outreach in the measurement of malnourishment and improving conditions of children in residential institutions.
Mar ’00 to Sept ‘06 / Senior Adviser, Child Protection, UNICEF Headquarters, New York: responsible globally for guiding UNICEF’s work in protection of Children from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation. UNICEF Focal Point for the Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. Yokohama. Coordinated 8 major Regional Consultations as preparatory to the Congress that led to establishment of networks and formulation of regional strategies to combat CSEC. Led UNICEF’s work on promotion of birth registration worldwide. Was also responsible for organizing Regional Consultations for the Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children.
Mar ’96 to Mar ‘00 / Chief, Child Protection, UNICEF Bangladesh, Dhaka: established and led the first unit in the country for protection of children. Facilitated establishment of the Acid Survivors Foundation to counter violence against women and girls. Developed and implemented a multi-media campaign for promoting child rights and a training package for orienting district level officials on the subject.
Jan ’94 to Mar ‘96 / Consultant to UNICEF India: Seconded from the Government of India to assist in the preparation of India’s first State Party Report on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Jun ’74 to Jan ‘94 / Career Civil Servant in India: As member of the Indian Administrative Service, served in State and Central Government in different capacities in the field and at the State and Central government offices. Posts held include District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner in Jalpaiguri (1981-84), Darjeeling (1984-87), Director in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India (1987-92) and Special Secretary Industrial Reconstruction Government of West Bengal (1992-94)
Jun ’69 to Jun ‘74 / Executive at FACT, Kochi, India: Recruited as Management Trainee, worked in the Marketing Consultancy Division on diverse projects in India and abroad.

Academic Background

Master of Public Administration: Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1988-89. Recipient of the Manuel Carbello Award 1989 for development of teaching material at the Kennedy School (first Mid Career student at Harvard to get this award).

Master of Arts: English Literature, Kerala University, Trivandrum, 1969.

Bachelor of Arts (Hons): Economics, Delhi University, Delhi 1967.