We are excited to announce that Professor Manohar Pawar, Professor of Social Work at Charles Sturt University in Australia and former President of ICSD, is the ICSD’s focal point representative to the UN.
Prof Pawar brings more than 40 years of academic and professional experience in social work, social development and social policy to bear on this role. He has worked across the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, La Trobe University and Charles Sturt University and has authored more than 200 publications, including over 20 books and monographs.
He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Community and Social Development and Editor of the Springer Series in Social Development. His research and scholarship have made a significant contribution to the fields of international social work, community development and social development.
Prof Pawar served as President of ICSD from 2017 to 2025 and played an important role in the Consortium’s efforts to secure Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
He has subsequently represented ICSD at UN-related events and helped coordinate ICSD participation and side events at the Second World Summit for Social Development and the 64th Session of the Commission for Social Development.
In this role, Prof Pawar will draw on this experience to help establish a strong and sustained foundation for ICSD’s participation in UN processes. He say: “A particular focus will be on strengthening coordination, building the capacity of ICSD members to participate and developing partnerships that can increase the Consortium’s contribution to global social development dialogue.”
His continued involvement provides valuable continuity as ICSD moves from securing ECOSOC consultative status towards building a strategic and sustained programme of UN engagement.