PROFILE – HEADS OF DELEGATION

AFGHANISTAN
H.E. Amena Afzali is the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled of Afghanistan. Prior to this she served as Advisor to the President of Afghanistan in the field of Child Protection, as the Independent Human Rights Commissioner, Minister of Youth Affairs, Lecturer at the Science Faculty of Kabul University, and as a member of the Fundamental Law Commission of Afghanistan andthe Directorate of Cultural Foundation of Jamee. She was the founder of Educational and Training Centres for women, and of the first free school in Kabul in 1994, and played a key role in the Readiness Commission for Peace Jirga in 2006. She holds a Master of Biology from Tajikistan University and a Bachelor’s degree from the Science Faculty of Kabul University.

BANGLADESH
Mr. A.Y.M Golam Kibria is the member of Bangladesh Civil Service. He has been working as the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs since January 2010. He is responsible for implementation of policies, strategies and programmes for the empowerment, development and realization rights of women and children in Bangladesh. As a member of the top level management he is also responsible for supervising the administrative works of the Ministry. He played an important role for the formulation of the National Children Policy 2011 and National Women Development Policy 2011. He also served as the Chairman of Bangladesh Children Academy, the Member and acting Chairman of Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), the Deputy Secretary of Post and Telecommunication Ministry and Cabinet Division and many other important posts of the Government of Bangladesh. He holds a Degree in Master of Social Science and Honors in Political Science from the University of Dhaka.

BHUTAN
Honourable Mingbo Dukpa assumed the position of Minister of Education of the Royal Government of Bhutan on 27 July 2013. He began his career as a teacher in 1971, became a lecturer at the Paro Teacher Training Center in 1976, and subsequently District Education Officer for Thimphu Dzongkhag from 1981-1986. He held progressively responsible positions in the Ministry of Education between 1987 and 1996, when he became Chief Inspector at the Inspectorate of Schools. He also served as a Dzongda and National Assembly Representative from 1998-2003 while working for the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. He was Managing Director and CEO of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation Ltd from 2003-2007, and a People’s Democratic Party Parliamentary Candidate from 2007-2008. He was also Executive Head and Principal Consultant of Greenland Service in Thimphu between 2008 and 2013. He has led delegations to conferences and meetings in various countries in Asia, Europe and North America, and served as a Board Member of a variety of national and international broadcasting organizations. Mr. Dukpa holds a Masters of Education from New Brunswick University (NBU) in Canada, a Diploma in Education Planning and Administration from the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration in New Delhi, India, a Certificate in Education from Mt. Carmel International Training Center and Haifa University in Israel, and a Diploma in Teaching from Samtse Teacher Training Institute in Bhutan.

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
H.E. Adina Othman has served as Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports since 29 May 2010. Previous positions include Special Duties Officer (2003) and Director of Community Development (2004). She was the Commissioner of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children from April 2010 until October 2011. Datin Adina was actively involved in several research studies amongst others such as “Decline in Moral Values among the Youth of Brunei Darussalam” and “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” in 2007. She has delivered various papers and been a Forum Panel member in the areas of youth development, community service, social welfare, social issues, welfare safety network, and family, women, elderly and children’s issues among others. She is a leading proponent of the rights of women and children and other vulnerable groups. She graduated with BA (Hons) Southeast Asian Studies / Law from University of Kent, United Kingdom in 1977 and was awarded a Post Graduate Certificate in Archives Administration at University College, London in 1980.

CAMBODIA
H.E. Mrs. Khiev Bory is Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. In her current position she is responsible for supervision of the Cambodian National Council for Children, a coordination mechanism providing comments to the Government in relation to the survival, development, protection and improved welfare of children and child participation. She is the Cambodian Representative on the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

CHINA
Mme. SU Fengjie is the Executive Director (Director General) of the Office of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, responsible for drafting and monitoring the two national programmes for women and children’s development. She has been engaged in women and children’s work for the All-China Women’s Federation since 1984. Mme. Su was elected as an Executive Committee member of the All-China Women’s Federation at the 9th and the 10th National Women’s Congress. She has been a supervisory board member for the China Children and Teenagers’ Fund and the Secretary-General of the China Women Development Foundation. She obtained a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Department of Political Economy, Capital University of Economics and Business.

COOK ISLANDS
Honourable John Mokoenga Henry is the Associate Minister of Internal Affairs with the Government of the Cook Islands. He was elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election, and has served in the past as Associate Minister for Finance, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Sports, as Chairman of Cook Islands Parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC) and as Director of Social Welfare Benefits of the Cook Islands, within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He has been a public servant for 32 years (1978-2010) and has served under four different governments and as head of seven different Ministries of the public service. He is also a Village Leader (Pu Tapere) for a small village/sub-district of 500+ residents and a Deacon in the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC). He attended the country’s national college on mainland Rarotonga from 1973-1977.

DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Mr Mun Jong Chol is Coordinator of DPRK National Coordinating Committee for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, since January 2013. He has held positions at the Permanent Mission of DPRK to the United Nations (2008-2012) and in the International Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988-2000). He attended the CRC meeting for DPRK (May 2004) and the CEDAW meeting for DPRK (July 2005). He graduated from Pyongyang University in International Relations (1987).

FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
Honourable Dr Vita Skilling is Minister of Health and Social Affairs, overseeing all national public health matters and coordinating assistance to the local hospitals, the office of gender development and human rights coordination (covering offices of women, youth, people with disability, the aging and sports). She is currently the President of the Pacific Island Health Officials Association and is a founding member of the Cancer Council of the Pacific islands. Her work includes the strategic childhood obesity prevention plan and administration of children and adolescent health programmes, family health programmes and women and youth affairs. Her previous positions include Chief of Public Health and Child Health Physician at the Kosrae State Department of Health Services. One of only two certified paediatricians in the country, she received medical qualifications from University of Hawaii School of Medicine, completed paediatric residency at the Fiji School of Medicine and received a postgraduate diploma in Child Health from the University of Otago, NZ.

FIJI
Dr. Josefa Koroivueta is the Permanent Secretary for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation in Fiji. His prior positions include serving as Deputy Secretary Public Health (2008-2010) with the Ministry of Health, and as National Manager for NTDs in Fiji and the Pacific Program for Elimination of LF. She was President of the Global Alliance of ELF (2004-2006). He joined the Civil Service in 1982 as a Medical Officer for the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, based at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH). Positions he has held locally include that of Senior Medical Officer and Principal Medical Officer of the Virus Laboratory. In 1997, Dr Koroivueta was appointed acting Chief Medical Officer at the Centre for Communicable Disease Control at Mataika House, Tamavua and he later became the National Advisor for the Communicable Disease Control Unit of the Ministry of Health, in 2002. He has also worked as Registrar in Pathology at CWMH, and extensively with regional and international organizations associated with the medical and health fields. He holds an undergraduate degree in Medicine and has postgraduate training in Medical Laboratory Science and Microbiology.

INDIA
Mrs. Krishna Tirath, Minister of State (Independent Charge),Women and Child Development, Government of India is a member of the Union Cabinet Women and Child Development since May, 2009. She currently represents the North West constituency of Delhi as a Member of Parliament in the 15th Lok Sabha. Earlier, she had been elected for 14th Lok Sabha (2004) from Karol Bagh constituency of New Delhi. She has also been the Cabinet Minister in Government of Delhi and has held key positions in Social Welfare, Labour and Elections. She was also the Deputy Speaker of Delhi Assembly and has served in important Parliamentary Committees such as the Parliament Standing Committee on Women Empowerment, Member of General Purposes Committee, Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice etc. As Chairperson of Parliament Standing Committee on Women Empowerment, she steered the publications of 14 valuable reports with analysis of various schemes and legislations which impact women. Her key initiatives in the social sector amongst others include expansion and strengthening of the Integrated Child Development Services in India, implementation of schemes such as Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna which is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating women, Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for the Empowerment of Adolescent Girls-SABLA which is an innovative programme for empowerment of adolescent girls and the National Mission for the Empowerment of Women. She has pioneered a new landmark legislation for children namely, ‘The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012’ and has also introduced a landmark legislation for women namely, ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’. She has travelled widely as a part of many delegations of Government of India like USA, UK, Brazil, South Africa, Switzerland, Germany, France, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Philippines etc. Ms Tirath has mentored various socio-cultural organizations and has participated in Inter-University, Inter-State and National level tournaments in the field of Volley Ball, besides being a keen athlete. She holds an M.A. and B.Ed. from University of Delhi.

INDONESIA
Dra. Nina Sardjunani, MA, is Deputy Minister for Human Resources and Culture, Ministry of National Development Planning since 2007, where she is responsible for leading the formulation of sectoral strategies and plans with relevant Ministries. She led Indonesia’s adoption of a National Strategy for Holistic-Integrative Early Childhood Development (HIECD) that was recently sanctioned by a Presidential decree. Nina Sardjunani is the Chair of the National Gender Taskforce, as well as a key actor of the MDGs Acceleration programme in Indonesia. As Secretary of the Steering Committee and Chair of the Technical Committee Working Group for the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) initiative in Indonesia, she plays an influential role in the country’s efforts to tackle nutrition challenges and to reduce stunting among under-five children. She is also a member of the SUN lead group at the global level, as appointed by the UN Secretary General. She started her career in the Ministry of National Development Planning in 1985 working in the Social Welfare Division. She subsequently held positions of Head of the Social Welfare, Community Health and Nutrition bureau in 1995; Director for Population, Family Planning, Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment in 2000; Director for Education and Religious Affairs in 2002; and Advisor to the Minister for Human Resources and Poverty Alleviation in 2005. Nina Sardjunani holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Duke University, USA.

KIRIBATI
Honourable Teima Onorio is the Vice President of the Republic of Kiribati and also Minister for Internal and Social Affairs. She served a first term as Vice President from 2003 to 2007, before being re-appointed in 2007. She was also Minister for Education from 2003 to 2007, before heading the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives. Ms. Onorio served as Member of Parliament for Arorae constituency from 1998 to 2003. Her constitutional functions are to assume the duties of the President of Kiribati, temporarily or permanently, should the President be unable to do so, and to be responsible for business of the Government, including administration of any department as the President may assign to her. Ms. Onorio holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) degree from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, a Graduate Diploma in TESL from the South Australia College of Advanced Education in Adelaide, Australia, and a Master of Art in TEFL from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom.

LAO PDR
H.E. Mme Khempheng Pholsena is Minister to the Government Office since July 2011. She is also the Chairperson of the National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Chairperson of the National Commission for Mothers and Children. Her previous positions include Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Head of Water Resources and Environment Agency (2007-2011), Vice-President for Finance and Administration, Asian Development Bank (2004-2007), Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of international co-operation (2003-2004), Vice-President of the Committee for Planning and Cooperation responsible for coordination of ODA for development cooperation including the Round-Table Process of coordinating international donors and development planning of the Government (2001-2003), and Vice-Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office in charge of International Cooperation (1997-2001). She graduated in engineering from the Energy Institute, Moscow in 1971 and from the Foreign Trade Academy Moscow in 1983. Madame Khempheng is fluent in French, English and Russian. Her areas of professional expertise include country development strategies (including growth and poverty eradication), international economic relations and co-operation, Greater Mekong Sub-region economic co-operation, coordination on adjustment programmes with International Financial Institutions, administration and management, as well as women’s and child rights.

MALAYSIA
Mr. Sharudin Shar Kashim serves as Deputy Director General (Planning), Department of Social Welfare(DSW), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. He is responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating and monitoring the Department’s strategic planning and transformation plan, as well as the Department’s development projects. There are fourdivisions of DSW under his administration namely Planning and Development Division, International Affairs Coordination and Secretariat Division, Legal and Advocacy Division and Counselling and Psychology Division. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science from University Science Malaysia.

MALDIVES
Dr. Aamaal Ali was appointed Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights in July 2013 following a year in the USA participating in the Humphrey Fellowship programme. She previously served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and in a variety of teaching positions rising to the level of Principal. She has a passion for teaching and continues to conduct professional development sessions for teachers and heads of schools and takes on speaking engagements often in schools. She has been active in the Women’s Association “Jinsul Latheefunge Rooh” where she was President for 7 years between 1981 and 1992. She has been involved with the National Olympic Academy and was active in the Girl Guides Movement where she held the post of Deputy Chief Commissioner, Maldives Girl Guides Association. She has been a member of the Advisory Council of the Maldivian Students Association, U.K. from 2004 to 2006; of the National Sports Council, 2007-2008, of the National College Council from 2009 to 2010 and of the National Curriculum Steering Committee, 2009-2012. Dr. Aamaal Ali holds B.A and M.A degrees in Education from the University of Hull, an M.A. in School Effectiveness and School Improvement, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of London, Institute of Education. She has travelled extensively and on a number of occasions, participated in conferences, workshops and sporting events representing Maldives.

MARSHALL ISLANDS
Honourable Wilbur Heine is Minister of Internal Affairs, responsible for community development which includes youth, women and children. He is also responsible for other programme areas such as birth registration, child adoption, sports and recreation, local government, land management, historic preservation, deaths and marriages, and radio broadcasting. His previous positions include Secretary of Internal Affairs, National Energy Planner, National Health Planner and Educational Instructor at the College of the Marshall Islands. He holds a Master’s degree in International Health from Boston University and a B.A. in Education from the University of Guam.

MONGOLIA
H.E. Mr. Erdene Sodnomzundui has been the Minister for Population Development and Social Protection in Mongolia since 2012, with the mission to encourage human development and improve people’s quality of life through improving social guarantees for citizens and implementing policies on population development and social protection in Mongolia. He has also been a Member of Parliament in Mongolia since 2008. He previously served as Director General, Social Insurance General Office of Mongolia, and as a Member of the National Council of Social Insurance, State General Inspector of Social Insurance. From 1996-2000 he was Governor of Bayangol District of Ulaanbaatar City, and prior to that, Director General of “Molor Erdene” Co.Ltd. He has undertaken training courses on social protection and welfare in Germany in 2005 and in the USA in 2006. He was educated at the Military Institute of Mongolia, and subsequently obtained a Master of Law degree from Otgontenger University in Mongolia, and a Doctor of Law degree from the Academy of Management of Mongolia. He was awarded a Doctorate by the Academy of Management of Mongolia in 2006.

MYANMAR
H.E. Dr. Daw Myat Myat Ohn Khin is the Union Minister at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. She previously served as Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health (2011-2012), and as Acting Director General (2007-2008) and Deputy Director General (2004-2007) of the Department of Traditional Medicine, Ministry of Health. She has also been awarded the State Peace and Development Award, State Law and Order Restoration Award, Civil Service Award, Excellence Performance in Administrative Field (Class 3), Thirithudamma Theingi, Good Civil Service Award and Agga Maha Thirithudamma Theingi. She also holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ( M.B; B.S.), a Diploma in Management and Administration, a Diploma in Business Law and a Diploma in Traditional Medicine.

NEPAL
Honourable Riddhi Baba Pradhan is the Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare and Land Reform and Management in Nepal. Her responsibilities cover national level policy making on issues related to women, children and social welfare and land reform and management. Some of her key prior government services include serving as Secretary (Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation) and Director General (Department of Archaeology). She has participated in international events such as the World Tourism Conference organized by the World Tourism Organization (China, 2003); the Third Meeting of the SASEC Tourism Working Group (India, 2003), the WIPO High Level Committee Meeting (Switzerland, 2002), 34th UNESCO General Conference (France, 2001), the Fifteenth Conference of the European Association of South Asian Archaeology (Netherlands, 1999), SAARC Technical Committee on Education and Culture (Sri Lanka, 1993), International Seminar on Inner and Outer Space (India, 1986); and the 24th World Heritage Committee Meeting, Helsinki (Finland, 2001). She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology (Archaeological Survey of India, 1980), a Master’s degree in Ancient History and Culture (Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 1965), and advanced training in Archaeology in Berlin and Mainz (Germany, 1972-1974).

NIUE
Honourable Dalton Tagelagi is a Member of Parliament for the Government of Niue. Serving his second term as MP, he is responsible for the portfolios for Climate Change and Youth and Sports, and also assists the four Ministers of Cabinet with their portfolios. The son of the former Speaker of the Niue Legislative Assembly, he was educated in Niue and New Zealand, but grew up in Sydney, Australia, for 21 years before returning to Niue in 2006.

PAKISTAN
Honourable Minister Begum Zakia Shahnawaz Khan is the Provincial Minister for Population Welfare, Punjab, the most populous province of Pakistan, and is currently revising the population policy for Punjab. Ms. Shahnawaz served as Advisor to Chief Minister, Punjab on Social Welfare, Special Education, Population Welfare and Women Development from 2009 to 2013, assisting in initiating and taking forward the process of developing legislation and various Acts including Rules on Provincial Commission for Rights on Children, Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children, Child Marriage, Child Domestic Labour, and Prohibition of Corporal Punishment in Schools. In 2012, she assisted the Chief Minister, Punjab in formulating the Package for Empowerment of Women, through which women attained rights to receive their share of inherited property, the right to protection in the workplace, provision of additional age relaxation for applying for government jobs and a harassment bill among others. As Advisor to the Chief Minister, Punjab on Special Education she also proposed different reforms for the improvement of the Special Education Department, Punjab. In 2010 following the Pakistan floods, she toured affected districts and ensured rehabilitation of flood victims through the Punjab Government. She completed her education at Queen Mary College, Lahore.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Honourable Gisuwat Managere Siniwin is Vice Minister for Education since August 2012 and Member for Nawaeb Open Electorate. He has responsibility for the Teaching Service Commission, Library and Archives and UNESCO cooperation. He participated in the 2012 Commonwealth Education Ministry meeting in London, where issues affecting the education system in countries and how to improve and meet the demands for UN support for education for all by 2015 especially Basic Education for all citizens of a nation state. He is a former School Principal of Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School for 16 years. He holds a Diploma in Agriculture, a Bachelor of Education Administration, and a Graduate Diploma in Theology in Education (Lutheran College, South Australia).

PHILIPPINES
Mr. Javier R. Jimenez is Assistant Secretary at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Assigned at the Office of the Secretary, he handles internal audit, social marketing, strategic planning, information and communication technology and special concerns of the Secretary. Prior to joining DSWD, he was with a number of civil society organizations involved in alternative livelihood, environment, agrarian reform and housing for the poor. His competencies revolve around project development, monitoring and evaluation (PDME), planning and evaluation, organization development, communication, and strategy management. He is a Management graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University.

SAMOA
Honourable Gatoloaifaana Amataga Gidlow has been Associate Minister of the Ministry of Women, Community & Social Development since 2011. She is a Matai (chief) and was previously the Minister for Health in Samoa following the 2006 general elections where she was elected for the first time. She is a daughter of former Prime Minister, Hon. Mr. Tofilau Eti Alesana, who also held the portfolio of Minister for Health. She is one of the two female Members of Parliament, and was also a Director of the Samoa Tourism Authority.

SOLOMON ISLANDS
Mrs. Ethel Sigimanu is Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children & Family Affairs in the Solomon Islands, with responsibility for overall coordination and planning of policy implementation. She has over 27 years of experience in the Solomon Islands public service serving in a number of ministries in the administration, planning and management fields and providing leadership for effective service delivery to the people of Solomon Islands. Prior to 2007 she served as a permanent secretary in the Ministries of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Department of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Department of Home Affairs and Ministry of Women, Youth and Sport. Promoting service for women, youth and children and working with these groups has remained an important area of interest and a hallmark of her career. Her dream is to see that development in whatever form and size is inclusive of the needs of everyone irrespective of their sex, gender, status or form. Mrs. Sigimanu holds a Bachelor of Administration degree, majoring in history politics & administration, from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji. She has also undertaken a two weeks training for emerging leaders at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and a Commonwealth Study Conference for leaders held in London, UK.

SRI LANKA
Honourable Tissa Wijayaratna Karalliyadde is the Minister of Child Development and Women’s Affairs in Sri Lanka and represents the Medawachhiya electorate in the North Central Province. (He represented the same constituency undefeated since entering Sri Lanka Parliament in 1994.) He is currently the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Violence Against Women and Children of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD). He has held posts as the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs under His Excellency the President, who was the Hon. Minister, and has also served as the Deputy Minister of Health, Minister of Lands and Minister of Indigenous Medicine. He has also obtained a two year Diploma in Agriculture from Japan.

THAILAND
Mr. Vichien Chavalit is Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Previous positions include Advisor to the Prime Minister for the Civil Service. He was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior and Director General, Community Development Department. He obtained a M.A. in Political Sciences from Thammasat University and a Bachelor of Law from Ramkhamhaeng University.

TIMOR-LESTE
H.E. Isabel Amaral Guterres, head of the Timor-Leste Delegation, is the Minister of Social Solidarity. Her previous positions include being the Secretary-General of the Chief Executive for Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste (Red Cross Timor-Leste). Between 2002 and 2005, she was the National Commissioner for the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. From 2004 to 2005, she was the National Commissioner for Comissão Nacional e Chefes de Sucos. She also worked for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Maliana District. She was President of the Microfinance Association of Timor-Leste (2004), of the Finance Commission for Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste, and as Vice-President of the Rotary Club Dili (2005). She obtained a PhD (Doctor Honoris Causa) and her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the Catholic University of Australia. She also undertook a Master’s degree on Global Development and Social Justice at St. John University in 2011

TONGA
Mr Ponepate Taunisila is Deputy Director in the Ministry of Education and Training. He heads the Ministry’s Division for Learning and Teaching which overseas three levels of education: Early Childhood (age 3-5), Primary (age 6-11) and Secondary (age 12-18).

TUVALU
Mr Fauoa MAANI is Minister of Education, Youth & Sports. He was elected Member of Parliament for the island of Niutao in 2010. He is a trained teacher by profession.

VIET NAM
Dr Doan Mau Diep is Vice Minister of Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. He is responsible for child protection and care, research, information technology, as well as national and international organizations. He currently provides oversight and leadership on the work of the University of Labour and Social Affairs. Previous positions include Director of the Institute for Labour and Social Affairs, and President of SOS Villages in Viet Nam.

VANUATU
Honourable Jonas James, Minister of Justice and Community Services, was first elected into parliament in the legislative elections of 30 October 2012 as Member from Paama, Malampa. In August 2013, Hon. Jonas James was appointed as Minister of Justice and Community Services in the government of the Honourable Prime Minister, Moana Carcasses Katokai Kalosil. Prior to this time he was employed privately in New Caledonia (1985-1995), worked for the Korman Government (1996-1997); was employed in Parliament (2003-2007); and was a Labour Officer in the Department of Labour (2007-2012). He has invested his parliamentary allocations in setting up charitable organizations in his constituency, which will go toward fundraising for sustainable development projects. After starting his earlier education in primary school in 1976 at the École St Jeanne D’Arc, he continued at the Lycée Antoine de Bougainville in Port Vila, until 1981. In 1982 to 1984 he continued his secondary education at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology in the School of Mechanical Engineering.