SEETA SHARMA
Email: seeta.sharma@gmail.com
Career Profile
My work in the development sector spans almost 30 years, during which I have delivered results and gained demonstrable skills in areas such as stakeholder engagement, public policy, international relations, government relationship management, civil society engagement, as well as technical expertise in programme/project management, governance, training and capacity building and research. As a specialist in international migration and protection, I have worked with the United Nations, Government of India, and civil society organizations. My experience includes work across the South and South-East Asia, the European Union, Middle East and Africa.
Work Experience
Current: September 2022 -ongoing
Organization: National Skills Development Corporation -International (NSDCI)
Position: Senior Advisor, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India
Key Achievements
- Initiated bilateral partnerships with countries and provided strategic direction to the GOI
- Fast-tracked inter-ministerial coordination
- Drafted bilateral partnership agreements for the Government
- Supported GOI in negotiations with other countries
- Contributed to the development of new government scheme/projects on international mobility
Date: February 2013 – April 2022
Organization: International Labour Organization (ILO), India
Position: Technical Officer (Project Lead) – EU-India Cooperation and Dialogue on Mobility and Migration Project (2017-2022), National Coordinator various migration projects (2013-2017)
Key achievements:
- Advanced ILO’s migration portfolio in India through strategic planning, networking, resource mobilization and implementation of projects, leading to multiple interventions at inter-country, national and state levels.
- Successfully implemented a technical support project impacting policy dialogue between the European Union and Government of India, furthering their bi-lateral framework agreement through relationship management, advisory service and the implementation of strategic activities.
- Strengthened partnerships with a range of stakeholder organisations including government departments within India and with other countries, the private sector, civil society actors, diaspora groups, influencing their work on mobility.
- Provided comprehensive technical support to governments, including through research and the monitoring of governance systems, resulting in the design and development of migration policy and programmes at state and national level.
- Streamlined the associations and engagement of recruitment intermediaries, leading to a new national policy for licensing and establishment of a national association, affiliated with the Chambers of Commerce and engagement with the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Managed the implementation of multiple projects across countries and supervision of a team for timely and cost-effective delivery, including establishing monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Supervised research, published papers and developed practical tools for migrants.
- Represented the ILO in various fora.
Date: October 2012 – February 2013
Organization: Government of Switzerland
Position: Consultant
Key achievements:
- Presented a strategy paper on ‘strengthening non-competitive positions among Asian labour sending countries’ to determine the Swiss Government’s strategy on migration in the Asia region.
- Completed research papers to provide guidance to the Swiss government development funding support on migration: (i) assessment of civil society in Malaysia (ii) assessment of civil society in Bangladesh.
- Submitted an assessment of an organisation in the Philippines on migration and development, for future project consideration and learning on reintegration.
Date: September 2006 – August 2012
Organization: Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (Danish NGO)
Position: Regional Programme Officer – Migration and other development projects
Key achievements:
- Established and led the regional programme on Migration and Anti-Trafficking including planning, oversight and monitoring of 17 concurrent projects across South Asia, South-East Asia and Middle East in partnership with local stakeholders and project teams.
- Expanded migration interventions from three to eight countries, including raising over 7.5 million Euros from multiple external donors.
- Developed effective linkages and networking mechanisms between local, national and international civil society efforts in the areas of migration.
- Supported migrants’ interventions with technical actions and tools along the cycle of migration, from pre-decision to return and reintegration.
- Engaged with government representatives across countries, bringing sustainable governance at local and national levels including influencing decentralization of services, right-based and sustainable.
- Contributed to research, analysis, monitoring and evaluation and policy inputs at national and regional levels, including an independent evaluation on gender and governance in Guatemala.
- Built capacity of local organisations through training and interactive learning; 3 local organizations made independent in Nepal and Bangladesh
- Offered solutions for closure of protracted refugee intervention in Nepal, including through constitutional level advocacy.
- Supervised project managers across countries in South Asia.
Date: October 2004 – March 2006
Organization: International Deaf Children’s Society (UK)
Position: Country Manager, India
Key achievements:
- Set-up the first international country office for the organisation
- Spearheaded context situation analysis and began first funding partnership with civil society organisations
- Established an India office and recruited staff
Date: January 1999- September 2004
Organisation: Save the Children (UK), India
Position: Programme Officer
Key achievements:
- Designed and implemented projects on child labour and trafficking
- Undertook research on children in vulnerable situations
- Monitored NGO partners implementation of activities and finances, built capacity through training.
- Provided inputs for the development of modules for children in need of protection
- Trained staff on protection.
- Successfully advocated for inclusion of child domestic work in the Government hazardous work list
- Conducted rapid context analysis’ to determine relief interventions, managed logistics and relief responses in emergency situations in Assam, West Bengal
- Set-up an inter-agency coordination mechanism for relief operations
Short-term work – Consultant (Global Alliance Against Trafficking of Women, 2012, Save the Children (UK) in Kashmir and Somalia, Action Aid -Uttarakhand, April – August 2006, Care International in India 1997-1998, Care International in Zambia, 1995-1996, Save the Children UK in Zimbabwe, 1993-94, in Swaziland 1995- 1996)
Global Alliance Against Trafficking of Women, Middle East region, November-December 2012, Save the Children (UK) in Kashmir and Somalia, Action Aid -Uttarakhand, April – August 2006, Care International in India March 1997- December 1998, Care International in Zambia, October 1995 – Sept 1996, Save the Children (UK) in Zimbabwe, Swaziland 1993-October -June 94, Oct – Jan 1996
Key achievements:
- Influenced intervention through field research on situation of women migrants in Lebanon and Qatar.
- Piloted projects, later replicated and up-scaled by government
- Strengthened gender-based planning; supported community groups for collective action
- Planned and coordinated emergency responses including tsunami relief, earthquake relief
- Initiated delivery of government social services for children and women in red light areas
- Trained staff on child protection and rights in emergency situations
Research and Publications
Pre-departure information for Indians going to the EU, ILO 2021
Migration policy for Non-resident Telugus, Government of Andhra Pradesh, 2017
Research on electronic recruitment system for migrants – eMigrate of India, IOM/ILO – 2017
Minimum Referral Wages of Indian Migrants, ILO 2016
Study of a good practice in health workers’ recruitment (India chapter), ILO 2015
Donor money in trafficking, Anti Trafficking Review, 2014
Investment of remittances by migrants –study of Athika program, Philippines, SDC- 2013
Strategy for strengthening non-competitive positions in relation to migration among Asian labour sending countries for Swiss Development Corporation – SDC 2012
Harmful traditional practices -The Child brides of Yelamma, Save the Children 2012
Domestic workers and trafficking, Labour File. 8(1-3); 2010
Education and Training
ILO Women Managers Training and Coaching – 2022
UN Women Leadership Training – 2019, 2021
European Summer School , Prague – Negotiation and Conflict Management – 2019
Oxford University, UK – Summer School on Forced Migration – 2007
Wollongong University, Australia, Masters in Geography (Hons) 1994 -1995
Delhi University, India, Bachelors in Geography (Hons) 1990-1993
Field Experience
France, Italy in Europe, India including several states, Bangladesh, Nepal in South Asia, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia in South East Asia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Somalia in Africa, Guatemala in Latin America, Lebanon, Qatar in Middle East.
Language Proficiency
Read, Write, Speak : English
Read, Write, Speak : Hindi
Read, Write, Speak (Basic level) : Bengali
Read, Write, Speak (Basic level) : Spanish
Seeta Sharma 