| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2021 |
Rasmussen, B., Maharaj, N., Karan, A., Symons, J., Selvaraj, S., Kumar, R., Kumnick, M., & Sheehan, P. (210101). Evaluating interventions to reduce child marriage in India. Journal of Global Health Reports, 5 doi: 10.29392/001c.23619 |
| 2019 | Rasmussen, B., Maharaj, N., Sheehan, P., & Friedman, H. S. (190701). Evaluating the Employment Benefits of Education and Targeted Interventions to Reduce Child Marriage. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S16-S24). |
| 2017 | Sheehan, P., Sweeny, K., Rasmussen, B., Wils, A., Friedman, H. S., Mahon, J., Patton, G. C., Sawyer, S. M., Howard, E., & Symons, J. (171014). Building the foundations for sustainable development: a case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents. The Lancet, 390(10104), (1792-1806). |
Key details
Areas of expertise
- Health economics
- Investment in adolescent health and wellbeing
- Child marriage
Not available to supervise research students
Not available for media queries
About Neelam Maharaj
Neelam Maharaj has been research analyst at the Victoria Institute (previously Centre) of Strategic Economic Studies at Victoria University since 2002.
She has participated in various health projects in recent years, particularly research on child marriage, and gender and interpersonal violence. She is co-author of two papers, one on investing in adolescent health (The Lancet 2013) and another on investing in interventions to reduce child marriage (Journal of Adolescent Health 2019). She is currently part of a team conducting research to estimate the costs of investment in adolescent health in Burundi (funded by UNICEF). She is also investigating the elimination of child marriage and intimate partner violence in the developing world as part of a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) effort for ending child early and enforced marriage by 2030 (funded by UNFPA).
Earlier, Neelam researched data for the project for the Victorian Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI) on Victorian exporters and export competitors (2013). She identified opportunities and drafted the section on vocational education in the report on China export opportunities for the Victorian Department of Business and Innovation (DBI; 2012). She was also co-author of the report to DBI on regional and sectoral dimensions of Victorian manufacturing (2011).
Previously, Neelam was Consultant to TradeData International (1997-2002), mainly coordinating and administering research projects and preparing reports analysing trade trends for clients. Before this she was Senior Analyst at IBIS Business Information (1989-2001) where she was responsible for analysing and monitoring up to 80 industries including: Textile Clothing and Footwear, Wood, Paper & Pulp, Printing & Publishing, Medical & Scientific Equipment Manufacturing, Appliances, Electric Equipment, Sign and Light Manufacturing and a variety of other manufacturing and wholesaling industries. From 1987 to 1989 she also worked as Senior Consultant to NIEIR and Senior Policy Coordinator at the Australian Chambers of Manufacturers.
Qualifications
- BA (Hons), Bombay University, India, 1966
- BA, La Trobe University, Australia, 1991
Key publications
Neelam has over 35 publications, with a selection listed here.
A more comprehensive list of Neelam's publications is available in the VU Research Repository.
Commissioned research report (showing 7)
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Rasmussen, B., Sheehan, P., Symons, J., Maharaj, N., Welsh, A., & Kumnick, M. (220630). Syria Education and Development Investment Case: Economic, Social and Psychological Costs and Risks Resulting from Not Investing in Education Systems in Syria. Melbourne, Australia: Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University. |
| 2022 | Sheehan, P., Rasmussen, B., Sweeny, K., Maharaj, N., & Symons, J. (220301). WHO Investment Case 2.0: Technical Report. Melbourne, Victoria: Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University. |
| 2019 | Rasmussen, B., Sheehan, P., Sweeny, K., Symons, J., & Maharaj, N. (190101). Adolescent Investment Case Burundi: Estimating the Impacts of Social Sector Investments for Adolescents. Bujumbura: UNICEF Burundi. |
| 2018 | Rasmussen, B., Sweeny, K., Welsh, A., & Maharaj, N. (180901). Our Health Our Wealth: The Impact of Ill Health on Retirement Savings in Australia. The McKell Institute. |
| 2016 | Rasmussen, B., Pyke, J., Maharaj, N., Pensabene, T., Parker, S., & Welsh, A. (160101). The Economic Benefits of Cultural Diversity. Melbourne: Victoria University, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2013 | Rasmussen, B., Lang, J., Welsh, A., & Maharaj, N. (130101). A Quantitative Analysis of Victoria s Key Exporters and Export Competitor. Melbourne: Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2012 | Rasmussen, B., English, A., Houghton, J., Lang, J., Maharaj, N., Sweeny, K., & Rasmussen, A. (120101). Chinese Export Opportunities for Victorian Companies. Melbourne: Centre for Strategic Economic Studies. |
Journal article (showing 3 of 4)
Research funding for the past 5 years
Please note:
- Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
- Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
- The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.
2022
|
Development of an Investment Case for Adolescent Well-being
From: World Health Organization
Other investigators: Dr John Symons, Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Prof Peter Sheehan, Dr Kim Sweeny
For period: 2022-2024
|
Not disclosed |
|
MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC (MSD)- VARIATION - Study: An Investment case on HPV Vaccination in Indonesia (MDA301023). (original contract VUR 20752 )
From: MERCK SHARPE and DOHME
Other investigators: Dr Kim Sweeny
For period: 2022-2023
|
Not disclosed |
2021
|
Economic Analysis for WHO Investment Case 2.0
From: World Health Organization
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr John Symons, Ms Margarita Kumnick, Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Peter Sheehan
For period: 2021-2021
|
Not disclosed |
2020
|
An Investment Case Study on HPV Vaccination in Vietnam
From: United Nations Population Fund
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr Kim Sweeny, Dr John Symons, Ms Alison Welsh
For period: 2020-2022
|
Not disclosed |
2019
|
Cost of Eliminating Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence
From: United Nations Population Fund
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Prof Peter Sheehan
For period: 2019-2019
|
Not disclosed |
2018
|
Cost Benefit Analysis of Health Interventions to Improve Labour Productivity
From: US Chamber of Commerce Grant
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Prof Peter Sheehan, Dr Kim Sweeny, Dr John Symons, Ms Alison Welsh, Ms Margarita Kumnick
For period: 2018-2020
|
Not disclosed |
|
Investment Framework Case Study: Estimating the Impacts & Opportunity Costs of Social Sector Investments for Adolescents (10-19 years) in Burundi.
From: UNICEF-Bujumbura/Burundi
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr John Symons, Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Peter Sheehan, Ms Alison Welsh, Ms Margarita Kumnick
For period: 2018-2019
|
Not disclosed |
|
Establishment of Victorian Energy Policy Centre (VEPC)
From: Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Mr Bruce Mountain, Prof Peter Sheehan, Ms Alison Welsh, Dr Steven Percy, Dr Kelly Burns, Ms Stephanie Rizio
For period: 2018-2020
|
$1,859,999 |
Supervision of research students at VU
Not available to supervise research students
Not available for media queries
Key academic roles
| Dates | Role | Department / Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2002 - Present |
Research Fellow, Victorian Institute of Strategic Economic Studies
|
Victoria University |
| Dates | Role & Department/Organisation |
|---|---|
| Jan 2002 -
Present
|
Research Fellow, Victorian Institute of Strategic Economic Studies
Victoria University |
Key industry, community & government roles
| Dates | Role | Department/Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1997 - Dec 2001 |
Consultant
|
TradeData International Pty Ltc |
| Jan 1989 - Dec 2001 |
Senior Analyst
|
IBIS Business Information |
| Dates | Role & Department/Organisation |
|---|---|
| Jan 1997 - Dec 2001 |
Consultant
TradeData International Pty Ltc |
| Jan 1989 - Dec 2001 |
Senior Analyst
IBIS Business Information |
