Your Name
Burlington,VT
Summary
Experienced humanitarian professional with expertise in refugee rights/issues. Over fourteen years of experience in the non governmental sector and the United Nations Refugee Agency. I have been involved in program implementation, monitoring and supervision of staff. People management is my forte. I look forward to new and challenging roles, seeking opportunities to learn and grow.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Refugee Status Determination Associate
Medstar Health
01.2014 - 12.2015
- Conducting Refugee Status Determination (RSD) interviews for asylum seekers, issuing timely decisions.
- Coordinating with other units in providing support services.
- Supervising and reviewing the work of other Eligibility Officers.
- Monitoring the refugee document renewal process done by the implementing partner, developed SOP.
Senior Durable Solutions Assistant
Summer Search
01.2014 - 11.2015
- Making refugee resettlement submissions including of those in detention, coordination with resettlement countries.
- I was the resettlement fraud focal point in the unit.
- Monitored the citizenship project for refugees facilitated by the implementing partner.
- Networking with the relevant Government offices.
- Reporting and documentation.
- Research, data management and analysis.
- Conducted sessions for law students on "Resettlement and Citizenship process for refugees".
Naturalisation Specialist
UNHCR
11.2007 - 12.2008
- Monitoring the citizenship project for Hindu and Sikh Afghans and closely networking with the Implementing partners for expediting the process of citizenship.
- Networking with the relevant Government offices.
- Assisted in finalization of the citizenship brochure.
- Delivered a lecture at Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), New Delhi on acquiring Indian citizenship on getting Indian citizenship for refugees.
Senior Program Officer & Centre Coordinator
SLIC
01.2005 - 11.2005
- Centre administration & supervision of staff, crisis intervention in refugee community and networking with the other implementing partners (NGOs) of UNHCR and police.
- Assisted in research and publications.
- Intensive counseling for refugees with focus on their socio economic assessment, education, vocational training, health, resettlement, citizenship and sending of referrals to concerned agencies for their placement.
- Responsible for all documentation, report writing and updating records at the centre level.
- Also involved with Dalit Rights initiative focusing on the human rights of Dalits, assisting in agencies and other work, preparation of reports for donor agencies, compiling reports, networking with partners and donors.
- Assisted in proposal writing for additional funds, implementing the program, with regular monitoring, capacity building and facilitating the implementing partner in report generation.
- Assisted in organizing workshops, seminars, symposiums and consultations as an advocacy strategy for Human rights in collaboration with Human Rights Law Network.
Program Secretary
Dalit Foundation
01.2004 - 09.2004
- A project of Ford Foundation, USA), New Delhi Information dissemination, administrative work, preparing reports, program implementation and coordinating fundraising activities.
- Preparation of minutes of general body meetings and drafting the annual reports.
- Interacting with various NGOs state units working for the cause.
Program Associate
National Council Of YMCAs Of India
07.1997 - 03.1999
- Assessing basic human rights needs of the International Refugees in India specific to educational rights and self - reliance.
- Facilitated the formation of two self - help groups for women.
- Community work ,;and writing reports.
Education
Diploma - Guidance and Counselling
Annamalai University
B. A. (Hons - Psychology
Delhi University
Master of Arts - Psychology
Delhi University
MBA -
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Bachelor of General Law -
Annamalai University
Skills
- Human Rights with extensive experience in refugee rights
- Crisis Intervention
- Counseling
- Capacity building
- Community Development
- Strategic Planning
- Project Management
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Supervision
- Networking with partner organizations and Government
Accomplishments
Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Associate -UNHCR, India
Conducting Refugee Status Determination (RSD) interviews for asylum seekers, issuing timely decisions.
Coordinating with other units in providing support services.
Supervising and reviewing the work of other Eligibility Officers.
Monitoring the refugee document renewal process done by the implementing partner, developed SOP.
Languages
Languages known
*English, Hindi, Tamil (Fluent)
*Telugu (spoken) and French (Basic)
Skills
Administrative, basic, counseling, crisis intervention, data management and analysis, fundraising, networking, organizing, program implementation, project ,management, proposal writing, publications, report writing, research, strategic planning, supervising, tichnologal oriented,
Timeline
Refugee Status Determination Associate
Medstar Health
01.2014 - 12.2015
Senior Durable Solutions Assistant
Summer Search
01.2014 - 11.2015
Naturalisation Specialist
UNHCR
11.2007 - 12.2008
Senior Program Officer & Centre Coordinator
SLIC
01.2005 - 11.2005
Program Secretary
Dalit Foundation
01.2004 - 09.2004
Program Associate
National Council Of YMCAs Of India
07.1997 - 03.1999
Diploma - Guidance and Counselling
Annamalai University
B. A. (Hons - Psychology
Delhi University
Master of Arts - Psychology
Delhi University
MBA -
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Bachelor of General Law -
Annamalai University