Ms 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.