Mirela Arqimandriti - Executive Director

Mirela Arqimandriti is an activist and human rights defender involved since 1999 with Gender Alliance for Development Center (GADC). She has a Master Degree in Business Administration from Sheffield University, UK. Earlier she received bachelor's degree in Physics, from University of Tirana. She served as board member for different CSOs and is active in different fields in Albanian society. She is a researcher and an expert of citizen’s involvement in decision making with a keen interest in empowering girls and women and for teh advancemnet of gender equaility in Albanian society. Actually, she is the Executive Director of GADC and represents a solution-oriented executive with successful record in the development and implementation of many projects and activities.

She is candidate for PhD with Clemson University, USA, and is awarded twice internationally for her achievements:

1. The Clemson University North Carolina, USA she received the Award of Excellence as Graduate Student in 2016.

2. The University of Sheffield International Faculty, City College Thessaloniki, Greece honored Mirela with the, Distinguished Alumni Award, In recognition of exceptional professional achievement, leadership and commitment to improving society in November 2015. In addition she received in 2017 the Alumni Volunteer Awards, from the University of Sheffield, UK.

In her postion as Executive Director of GADC she is responsible for:

• Strategic leadership of the GADC, which was established to ensure gender positive and transformative outcomes and impacts on Albanian society;
• Providing technical input and guidance on gender issues for the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of GADC projects, programmes, and initiatives to ensure expected results;
• Promoting and scaling out relevant gender concepts, approaches, and analytical frameworks to apply in the Albanian context and strengthening the capacity of Albanian institutions to integrate gender dimensions in their work;
• Building and maintaining a network of gender experts and women professionals within Albania, the region, and beyond, and acting as an expert and spokesperson on gender related issues;
• Providing input in every project and program development, monitoring, and evaluation in order to integrate gender analysis and outcomes into the public and private institutions programmes and initiatives;
• The production and provision of high-quality research and knowledge on
  emerging gender related issues and publications and sharing knowledge within networks;
• Organizing, conducting, and contributing to internal and external training events, workshops, and seminars on gender issues to strengthen the capacity of partners and to share knowledge.

 

In addition, she acted as team leader or the key consultant in a number of gender analysis, policy papers and reports before. She have have provided technical input and guidance on gender issues for the planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of GADC projects, programmes, and initiatives.

She is promoting and scaling out relevant gender concepts, approaches, and analytical frameworks among diverse  target groups (members of parliament, central and local officials, women, men, youth, businesses) and multipliers to apply in the Albanian context, including strengthening the capacity of the Albanian central and local institutions to mainstream gender dimensions in their work, building and maintaining a network of gender experts and women professionals in Albania, the region, and beyond, and acting as an expert and spokesperson on gender related issues. 

She managed both at the national and international level for the GADC include mapping and monitoring municipal gender action plans, mapping women’s economic empowerment in local level, training of city councillors, training and activities with gender focal points, training and activities with police officers, and other professionals, with a view to mainstreaming gender analysis and outcomes into the public and private institutions programmes and initiatives.