Brief Bio
Worked for over 16 years with UNICEF as Regional Advisor on Participation and Partnerships at UNICEF Regional Office in Bangkok; Chief of Adolescent Development and Participation in UNICEF Headquarters in New York; and as Representative/Deputy Representative and Senior Social Policy Specialist in UNICEF Malaysia.
Earlier, was the Regional Development Advisor for Save the Children-UK at the Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok. With over 35 years of professional development experience in over 40 countries in both the Global North and Global South, with special focus on countries in the South, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.
The focus of my work has been in supporting Governments, United Nations agencies, International Development organisations, NGOs and Civil society and Private/Corporate sector in Child Rights and Child Development, Results-based Management, Social Policy, Public Finance Management, Adolescent Participation and Development, Policy Advocacy, Participatory Research, Training and Capacity Development, among others.
Also worked as a Development Evaluation Consultant for European donor agencies and conducted research, evaluations and training programmes among community organizations and NGOs in over 15 countries in South and Southeast Asia.
My academic career includes an M.A. in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India and a Ph.D. in Anthropology/Social Sciences from the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands.
Presently based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Academic Positions
Lecturer/Foreign Expert, Social Policy and Development, Faculty of Social Administration, Thammasat University, Bangkok – teaching courses on 'Globalisation and Child Rights', 'Social Protection' and 'Human Rights and International Organisations', 'Evidence-based Social Policy'; 'Social Welfare in ASEAN' www.spdtu.com
Visiting Lecturer, Master of Arts in International Development Studies (MAIDS), Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok – teaching courses on 'Politics of Public Policy', 'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)', 'De-colonising Development Studies', 'Critical Issues in Development Studies', 'Human Rights in Southeast Asia' www.maids-chula.org
Ph.D. Faculty, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University – Bangkok – teaching M.A. and Ph.D. in child rights/human rights and supervising Ph.D. candidates. www.ihrp.mahidol.ac.th
Previously lectured at: the Asian Social Institute in Manila, the Philippines; Institute of Social Studies, The Netherlands; SIPA- Colombia University; New York City University Brooklyn College; Nottingham University and HELP University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
International Consultancy
and Advisory Affiliations
Senior Associate
Social Policy and Social Protection at the Social Policy Research Institute (SPRI)
Belgium
www.spriglobal.org
Associate
Institute for Child Rights and Development (IICRD)
Canada
www.iicrd.org
Associate
DUNDEX – Deployable UN-experienced Development Experts
(Norway/Canada)
www.dundex.net
Inter-Generational Advisory Committee member
International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP),
Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada)
www.torontomu.ca/iccrp
International Expert & Advisor
Child Participation, Global Campus for Human Rights (Venice, Italy)
gchumanrights.org
International Advisory Council Member
Right Livelihood College (RLC) (Sweden)
rightlivelihood.org/what-we-do/education/the-right-livelihood-college/
Affiliate
Human Development Partnership International (HDPI)-(USA)
https://hdpi.org/affiliate/victor-p-karunan-ph-d/
Member of Advisory Board
Flare of Light (FoL) (USA/Africa)
https://flareoflightnp.org/
Others say . . .
Victor Karunan has an extensive background in child rights and social policy advocacy, with over 16 years of experience working with UNICEF and specially recognized for his expertise in adolescent development and participation.
His sensitivity and respect in dealing with vulnerable children and adolescents, along with his adherence to UNICEF policies and standards, further underscore his professionalism and capability. I followed and often supervised Victor’s work closely – both as UNICEF Regional Director at the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok and as Deputy Executive Director at UNICEF NYHQ.
His academic credentials and deep knowledge of challenges and opportunities in promoting child rights in Asia and globally make him highly suitable for roles that require expertise in child rights, social policy advocacy, adolescent development and development studies.
It is with immense pleasure that I write this tribute for my good friend and colleague, Victor Karunan. We have known each other professionally since 2001 when we both overlapped when working with Save the Children. Soon after, Victor moved on to an illustrious career in UNICEF and we kept in touch.
Our paths often crossed at regional and international events – particularly as we both were supporting child and youth participation and advocacy. Victor’s knowledge, skills and wise counsel in child rights was extremely valuable as I forged my own career development and it was a great honour when he agreed to be my advisor for my PhD journey.
I will always be grateful for his insightful and constructive feedback and guidance that kept me on track over the years. Once Victor left UNICEF, I was able to engage with him in some consultancy work when I worked at ECPAT International – particularly helpful in some of the more strategic work areas that were challenging for us.
In more recent years, we have worked together in academia and Victor is a frequent supporter of the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, assisting us with strategic planning and postgraduate defenses. As always, thank you so much Victor!
Mark P. Capaldi, PhD I have known Victor for four decades when we were the two Indian participants in the movement to oust then Philippines President Marcos Sr. We became good friends and fellow travelers even though he was based in Hongkong and I in the Philippines. Our paths crossed again in Bangkok in the mid-90s when Victor was immensely helpful in helping my family and me settle into Thailand at the time I co-founded a think tank Focus on the Global South. Victor also introduced me to Save the Children UK and we were colleagues there in their Southeast Program for a number of years. Our paths crossed yet again at the United Nations in New York and at the UN in Malaysia when I was the UN Resident Coordinator and Victor the Deputy UNICEF Representative. I can attest that Victor is committed, passionate about and competent in what he does and a strong supporter of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, especially as they impact children. I am very pleased to recommend his new initiatives and have no doubt that it will make a strong value added contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. I congratulate him on this new important milestone in his continuing journey. It is my privilege to write this testimonial for Dr. Victor Karunan, a dedicated and inspiring colleague who has consistently demonstrated a commitment to the human rights and well-being of children. Dr. Victor is not only highly reliable and trustworthy but also exhibits a character that fosters collaboration and inclusivity. He has consistently proven to be a dependable team player, ready to engage at every level—whether strategizing on policy frameworks, implementing initiatives, or providing critical insights during high-level discussions. His openness to innovative approaches in social policy and his ability to work across disciplines make him an invaluable asset to any team or project. What stands out most about Dr. Victor is his genuine passion for creating meaningful change. His professionalism, coupled with his empathy and dedication, has inspired colleagues and stakeholders alike. I am confident that Dr. Victor will continue to make significant contributions in advancing social policies that prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable populations, particularly children. It is an honor to work alongside Dr. Victor, and I have no hesitation in recommending him for any initiative that aligns with his expertise and passion for social justice Dr. Prapaporn T. Mongkhonvanit I have had the privilege of collaborating with Victor for several years on an extensive research project examining children’s experiences of alternative care across Thailand – a joint research initiative between Bath University/Open University, U.K. and Thammasat University, Thailand. During this time, he consistently demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication, professionalism, and expertise. From leading on data collection in remote settings to co-authoring three peer-reviewed articles, Victor’s meticulous attention to detail and strategic vision have played a pivotal role in the research team's collective success. His ability to secure competitive research funding highlights his strong grasp of both the technical and practical aspects of project management. Beyond his research acumen, Victor excels at building meaningful partnerships with stakeholders, ensuring that each phase of our study was carried out ethically and efficiently. His culturally sensitive approach fostered trust among local communities and bolstered the credibility of our findings. His ability to secure competitive research funding highlights his strong grasp of both the technical and practical aspects of project management. Beyond his research acumen, Victor excels at building meaningful partnerships with stakeholders, ensuring that each phase of our study was carried out ethically and efficiently. His culturally sensitive approach fostered trust among local communities and bolstered the credibility of our findings. Dr. Justin Rogers Victor provides exceptional wisdom and invaluable perspective in dialogues and efforts with, and about children and young people. His great wealth of professional experiences and his enthusiastic commitment to social progress mean that he is extraordinary. He is an active and dedicated contributor to the Intergenerational Advisory Committee (IAC) of the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP). His generous heart and warm personality mean that it is a joy to spend time and work together whether virtually or in-person. Thank you Victor for all that you do!
Lecturer, Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies
Mahidol University, Thailand
Dean, School of Global Studies
Thammasat University, Bangkok
Lecturer in Social Work
The Open University, U.K.
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