Samman J. Thapa is the Regional Adviser for Social Policy and Social Protection at UNICEF’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Office. In this function, he is responsible for technical leadership of UNICEF's agenda on Child Poverty, Social Protection and Social Sector Financing covering 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. He has previously worked in this area with UNICEF in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam over the last 15 years. He has also worked briefly with UNDP and the National Democratic Institute focusing on governnance issues.