The Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) at Eastern Mennonite University was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Kumar Anuraj Jha, MA ’07. Jha died in a car accident on November 30, 2017, in Kartoum, Sudan, where he was working with the United Nations (UN). His wife, Jill Landis Jha MA ’10, and their two young daughters were also in the car but survived the accident. They will be traveling from Sudan to Kathmandu, returning Anuraj to his home country of Nepal.
Click here to view a recording of the UNICEF’s memorial service.
Jha served as a Child Protection Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Anuraj has played a crucial role in advancing the development, signing, and implementation of the action plans for the non-recruitment of children by armed groups and armed forces and hosting the recent, successful, first-ever visit of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict to Sudan,” writes colleague Abdullah A. Fadil, representative for UNICEF Sudan.
Jha started his work on Children and Armed Conflict from a field office in Nepal in 2001 with Save the Children in the midst of the Maoist conflict, according to Fadil. He later led the UN Mission’s Child Protection Section and provided management, monitoring and oversight of the release of 2,000 children from the Maoist army, which was one of the largest UN undertakings in Nepal. He also worked with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Jayne Docherty, program director at CJP, said, “Anuraj will be remembered for his intelligence, his kindness, and his passionate concern for children and young people caught up in the chaos of war and violence. He was a loving husband and a dedicated father. Our prayers go out to Jill, his daughters, his family, and the many others who knew and loved Anuraj.”
Jha was featured in Peacebuilder magazine for his work focusing on issues related to children and armed conflict in Africa.
I join others in mourning the loss of Kumar. The last time I saw him was on the M79 crosstown bus in Manhattan taking his oldest daughter to the Waldorf School. Jill our prayers are with you in this time of deep sadness. Your Mennonite Brother-in-Christ, Merv Horst
I join others in mourning the loss of Kumar. The last time I saw him was on the M79 crosstown bus in Manhattan taking his oldest daughter to the Waldorf School. Jill our prayers are with you at this time of deep sadness. Your Mennonite Brother-in-Christ in New York, NY, Merv Horst
We are grieved to hear the demise of Mr Jha.May his soul RIP. Condolence to bereaved family.
I am deeply saddened to know the sudden and untimely demise of Anuraj Jha. May his departed soul rest in peace and I pray to Almighty to give courage and patience to family to endure such irreparable loss. Heartfelt Condolences….
We are so sad at the death of this wonderful person. The world and his family have suffered a deep loss. His wonderfully gentle and kind spirit will be remembered.
I am still spechless about the death of Anuraj which is a big loss to his family, colleagues and friends and moreover to the UNICEF. I have known Anuraj since 2014 in one of the outstanding training that he provided alongside his colleagues. I was so impressed that he had all answers to the questions that he was asked. A very humble person, he was always jovial, happy and above all very proud of his family. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Anuraj. I knew him as an MPA student at the Harvard Kennedy School where he contributed generously to the community, sharing his passion for his own work with UNICEF and his wise insights with those who aspired to serve in the UN. I continue to share his wisdom with students and will ever remember his kind and gentle spirit. May he rest in peace.