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ZHCES organises a seminar by Dr. Naren Prasad

ZHCES organises a seminar by Dr. Naren Prasad

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ZHCES organises a seminar by Dr. Naren Prasad
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Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies
School of Social Sciences

 

ZHCES Seminar Series

 

Bridging Evidence and Policy: The Role of the ILO in Advancing Social Justice through Public Policy

 

Dr. Naren Prasad
Head of Education & Training, ILO

 

Abstract: Public policies shape the lives of millions, yet their effectiveness depends on the quality of evidence used in policymaking. The International Labour Organization (ILO), with its tripartite structure and century-long commitment to social justice, offers a unique model for evidence-informed policymaking. This lecture will explore how the ILO integrates research, data, best practices and social dialogue into public policy formulation, ensuring that policies touching the world of work are rooted in solid evidence. Drawing from real-world examples, the discussion will highlight the challenges of translating research into action, the politicization of evidence, and the critical role of institutions in navigating these complexities. We will also examine how evidence-based policymaking can respond to evolving labour market dynamics, including employment security, social protection, and wage policies in both developed and developing economies. Through this lecture, participants will gain insights into the mechanisms that drive policy effectiveness and learn how rigorous evidence can be leveraged to promote decent work and social justice.

 

Bio: Dr. Naren Prasad is an Economist with over 30 years of international experience in public policy, education, research and development. He currently serves as the Head of Education & Training in the Research Department of the International Labour Organization (ILO), where he leads global training programmes on evidence-based policymaking for decent work. His career spans multiple UN agencies, including UNESCO, UNRISD, and UN ESCWA, focusing on labour economics, research, and social policies. Dr. Prasad holds a PhD in Economics from Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas (France), and has trained policymakers across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific, equipping them with tools to integrate empirical evidence into policy design. He has authored numerous publications on social policies, labour markets, economic development, and governance, and his work is widely recognized in academic and policy circles. A firm believer in the transformative power of research-driven policy, he continues to advocate for inclusive and sustainable economic policies worldwide.        

                   

DATE: 04 April, 2025 (Friday)
TIME: 03.00pm
Venue: #207, SSS-II

 

(All are Welcome)

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.