Shyam Thapa (Diploma in Development Leadership, 2018) is the Programme Analyst, Gender for United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nepal.

“UNFPA is the United Nations’ sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled,” says Shyam.

“UNFPA aims to achieve three transformative results…by ending unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal death, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices.”

In 2018, Shyam was one of 41 participants from 19 countries to complete the intensive five-month Diploma in Development Leadership at the St. Francis Xavier University campus.

As Shyam returns to Nepal, he reflects on his experience at Coady.

“Ending violence against women and girls and harmful practices is one of the core areas of my organization,” says Shyam. “The learning, skills, and tools [I gained from Coady] are very relevant and important, and will feed into my ongoing and future programmes.”