Sara Thapa Magar
Kathmandu
Summary
Young leader with extensive experience in policy advocacy and strategic planning at the national and international levels. Proven track record in program evaluation and community outreach, effectively advocating for youth, children living with HIV, gender equity, and engaging stakeholders to drive impactful initiatives. Skilled in advocacy, fostering collaboration for sustainable change.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Chairperson
National Federation of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
Kathmandu
09.2020 - Current
Responsibility:
- Advocacy for policy changes to improve services and support for affected individuals.
- Advocacy for Women, Children, and Young people living with and affected by HIV.
- Capacity development of the community members.
- National Network Mobilization.
Gender equity officer
ICWAP
01.2023 - 07.2025
Responsibility:
- Developed updated gender assessments and action plans for Bhutan, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka.
- Identified gaps between the SKPA-1 gender assessments (and action plans) and the SKPA-2 baseline reports.
- Provided guidance on steps and a plan that SRs/countries can take to address these gaps.
Academic Associate
Kadambari memorial college
04.2023 - 04.2024
- Facilitated academic workshops and seminars for student engagement and learning enhancement.
- Collaborated with faculty on curriculum development and instructional materials creation.
- Coordinated student advising sessions to support academic planning and progress.
- Enhance the skills of the Bachelor of Social Work 2nd and 4th semester students.
Young Leader
International AIDS Society
Remote
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Co-create a digital space for young people alongside a dedicated, tech-savvy, and innovative group of young leaders, supported by a team of IT and design experts;
- Co-develop communications content for the digital space, supported by a dedicated communications expert;
- Launch the space at IAS 2021 Virtual, the world’s most influential conference on HIV science, and act as an ambassador and champion for the digital space.
- Mentor the next cohort of young leaders
- Promote the digital initiative, including publicly endorsing and participating in dissemination and engagement events
National Program coordinator
National Federation of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
01.2018 - 11.2019
- Program Planning.
- Program Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation.
- Coordination, Networking, and Partnership development
- Reporting
Youth Program Coordinator
Young Key Population LEAD Nepal
09.2013 - 12.2017
- Program Planning and Implementation.
- Help local YKP groups with formation.
- Collects issues of YKP.
- Advocacy
- Reporting
Community Home base care Mobilizer
Sneha Samaj
07.2012 - 08.2013
- Data collection of the clients.
- Regular meeting with clients.
- ART supply for clients.
- Regular Home visit.
Education
M.S.W - Major Social Work
Nepal School of Social Work,Kadambari Memorial College
Buddhanagar01-2024
B.S.W - Major Social Work
Nepal School of Social Work,Kadambari Memorial College
Kathmandu08-2022
10+2 - Education
Kitini College
Godawari, Lalitpur07.2011
School Leaving Certificate -
Kitini Higher Secondary School
Godawari, Lalitpur01.2009
Skills
- Policy writing
- Strategic planning
- Program evaluation
- Community outreach
- Gender equity advocacy
- Project management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Network Mobilization
- Policy Advocacy
Accomplishments
- UN Youth Change Makers Regional UNDP 2016
- UNDP 2030 Youth Force Ambassador, Nepal
- Youth Ambassador of the International AIDS Society 2021
Trainings
- Training of community paralegals focusing on people living with HIV and key populations from December 6 to December 10, 2021, organized by Save the Children US/Global Fund in collaboration with the Nepal government and HIDR Nepal. Training on HIV disclosure to children and adolescents living with HIV, NCASC in collaboration with YKP LEAD Nepal, December 13, December 14, Kathmandu, Bagmati
- Master Training of Trainers on New Gen Asia Regional Training Workshop, Youth Lead in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNFPA, 11/23/13, 11/29/13, Bangkok, Thailand
- Good Governance Training for YKP, 11/24/15, 11/26/15, Thamel, Bagmati, Kathmandu
- ICW School of Feminist: Leadership, Advocacy & Movement Building Training, ICWAP in collaboration with UNWOMEN, 01/21/19, 01/24/19, Bangkok, Thailand
International Engagement
- International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS Media Team Member
- Young Leader in International AIDS Society
- Member in Beyond Living Collective Initiative of GNP+ and ICW
Major Participation
- AIDS Conference in Germany 2024Asia Pacific Change Makers Meeting in Bangkok 2016
- AIDS Conference 2023 in Canada
- IAS Conference 2024 in Australia
- National HIV Strategy Plan for 2016-2021 in Nepal
- Regional Partnership Meeting on HIV/AIDS and YKP in South Asia in Bangladesh organized by UNICEF-Rosa
- ICCAP12 in Bangladesh
- Youth Engagement in Public Governance in South Korea organized by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Symposium (UNPOG) 2018
- Represented Nepal Government in Asian Youth Forum 2019
Consultancy/ Studies/ Research Engagements
- Currently working as a community consultant for the National CMC and CHBC Guidelines guidelines
- Co-lead in PLHIV stigma index
- Worked as a community representative for the Breaking Down the Barriers to study in Nepall
- Worked as a consultant for the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in the Asia Pacific (ICWAP) to train ICWAP members from Asia and the Pacific on the ICW media team from December 2021 to January 2022
- Worked with APCOM Foundation as a consultant to develop a position paper based on the survey results of women living with HIV from ICWAP membership from November 9, 2020, to December 11, 2020
References
- Mr. Sushil Koirala,sushilkoirala@gmail.com, Public Health Expert
- Ms. Minu Pariyar, nfwlha007@gmail.com, NFWLHA
Timeline
Academic Associate
Kadambari memorial college
04.2023 - 04.2024
Gender equity officer
ICWAP
01.2023 - 07.2025
Young Leader
International AIDS Society
01.2021 - 01.2022
Chairperson
National Federation of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
09.2020 - Current
National Program coordinator
National Federation of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
01.2018 - 11.2019
Youth Program Coordinator
Young Key Population LEAD Nepal
09.2013 - 12.2017
Community Home base care Mobilizer
Sneha Samaj
07.2012 - 08.2013
M.S.W - Major Social Work
Nepal School of Social Work,Kadambari Memorial College
B.S.W - Major Social Work
Nepal School of Social Work,Kadambari Memorial College
10+2 - Education
Kitini College
School Leaving Certificate -
Kitini Higher Secondary School