JOHN SAMUEL
Founder President
John Samuel has more than thirty years of experience and expertise in strengthening human rights, democratic governance, and sustainable development in India, Asia-Pacific region and globally. His work combined policy research, advocacy, capacity building, institution building, strategic leadership and social mobilization across the world. He has worked with civil society, government agencies and academic institutions to promote human rights advocacy and inclusive participation of the marginalized people in governance.
He was the Director and Global Head of the UNDP Global Programme on Governance Assessments, in Oslo and the Global Democratic Governance Adviser at the UNDP. Headquarters in New York. Prior to his role at the UNDP, he worked in the Asia-Pacific region for more than twenty years in various roles. He was the CEO of Forum Asia,(Genev and Bangkok )the largest membership based human rights and development in Asia. He was the International Director of the Actionaid International, heading the Asia-Pacific region and the global thematic work on just and democratic governance. He was instrumental in establishing the National Centre for Advocacy Studies (NCAS) in India and served as its Chief Executive and Executive Director till 2003. He also served as a training resource person for the National Commission for Human Rights in India, as a member of the working group on Local governance of the Planning commission of India (1999-2002) and as a visiting faculty at the United Nations Staff College, Turin. He was the founding Co-chair (2004 to 2007) of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) .He served on the board of several international and national organisations.
John Samuel has a multi-disciplinary academic background, with Master degrees in Social Science, English Literature, Linguistics and a Pre.PhD in Socio-Linguistics and a first degree in science. He did four years of doctoral research on Socio-Linguistics of North-East India. He was a visiting fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex and at the Advocacy Institute, Washington DC and did the International Summer School in the area of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Oslo. He has helped to initiate and establish several advocacy and research organizations and civil society alliances, including Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, Centre for Communication and Development Studies, Open-space network of young people, Asian Media Forum, International Social Watch and GCAP (Global Call to Action against Poverty).Bodhigram Foundation and Institute for sustainable Development and Governance. He was instrumental in establishing infochange India in 1999, the first development in India. He edited several publications including Ageda Journal on social issues and public policy, Parliament Digest.
He has been associated with social movements such as Ekta Parishat and served as its President in Kerala. He was also international council member of the World Social Forum He has published extensively on issues related to people-centred advocacy, democratic governance and civil society. He has delivered lectures in Universities and academic institutions across the world, including the London School of Economics, University of Sussex, Columbia University and Harvard University. He has four books and several hundred articles to his credit. His latest research work published recently is the Future of Development Cooperation: Policy Priorities for an Emerging India. His book, Making State Responsive is published by the UNDP. Two of his new books (Democratising Governance, Civic Politics) are expected to be released soon.