Ep. 13 : Strengths to Satisfaction with Beena Kuttiparambil

Beena is a seasoned development professional with 24 years of progressively responsible work experience with technical and managerial expertise in the field of Adolescent Development and Participation, Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Child Protection. Possesses a deep understanding of programme development, programme management policy and research. 

Since 2015, as Chief of Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP), Beena has been leading the second decade programme in UNICEF Thailand country office. She was instrumental in transitioning HIV programme into a full-fledged adolescent development and participation section - starting from evidence generation to the development of country programme and its implementation. Her key responsibilities included evidence driven programming, research, development of partnerships, influencing and promoting adolescent specific policies, fundraising and setting up of innovative initiatives and demonstration projects and their scale up in the areas of reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, mental health, skill development, participation and path to employability of adolescents and young people.

Additional responsibilities taken up include Gender Focal Point, Peer Support Volunteer, representing UNICEF in Inter-agency and UN taskforces, Joint AIDS programme, UN Gender task force and various National Committees on HIV and teenage pregnancy prevention.

As a child, she was very active and energetic in co-curricular activities during her school and university days - participating in dance, debates, theatre, NCC and actively holding leadership options in those years. Taking life’s ups and downs in her stride, she faces life as it comes . She strongly believes in possibilities and always trusts goodness of people. She is proud to be woman- a daughter, sister, mother and friend to many.