Mirlinda Kusari Purrini

She is the Founder & Executive Director of SHE-ERA in Kosovo, she is an economist and active in both business and humanitarian circles with experience in international research and projects. During her influential career she has engaged extensively with minority issues, economic development, capacity building, poverty eradication, education and entrepreneurship for women, men and youth. Kusari has extensive experience of working in transition economies across the Balkans and integrating the region globally. Her organisation SHE-ERA is noted as one of the key and most influential actors that aim to strengthen the position of women and encourage the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. It is also involved in research and analysis of the position of women, and supports local governmental institutions to compile and apply the politics and legal frameworks that promote gender equality and the involvement of women in political, social, economic and cultural areas especially in Kosovo, Balkans and South East Europe. Kusari believes that to overcome gender inequalities in labour, market and economy, provisions must be taken to include women’s strategic interests in related policies and proactively to uphold women’s employment and entrepreneurship. She affirms that women’s participation in governance is necessary to overcome the social challenges faced. Honored by The International Alliance for Women in Washington DC, USA, she helped develop an excellent section in Albanian for the Women’s website for US Small Business Administration (SBA), independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns.