Linda Rama

Linda Rama (née Basha, born in Tirana on December 30, 1964) is a senior Albanian economist (Doctor of Economic Science), researcher, university lecturer, and advocate for the rights of women and children.
General profile
After completing her studies at the University of Tirana School of Economics in 1987, Linda started her professional career at the Textile Plant in Tirana. Only one year after the fall of communism, (1992), she left Albania to pursue advanced studies in Prague, the Czech Republic, being the first economist with a master's degree in economics who returned to Albania in the 1990s. In 1996, she obtained a Ph.D. in economic science, with a thesis on “The Economic Reform and Mass Privatisation in Albania.” Between 1993 and 1998, Linda Rama offered her expertise at the high levels of public administration (National Privatisation Agency under the Council of Ministers), first focusing on the privatisation of large and strategic state-owned enterprises and later as the director general of the agency (1997–1998). In March 1999, she co-founded the Human Development Promotion Centre (HDPC) and has since engaged as a consultant for numerous international institutions. She used to be a member of the supervisory board of the Share Registration Centre that preceded the establishment of Albania's stock exchange (1996–1999). Linda has served in various positions in the course of her professional life, inter alia, as a member and chair of the board of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005–2010), member of the board of directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015–2018), and lecturer of international finance at the University of Tirana, School of Economics and lecturer of public policies and risk management at the European University of Tirana. Her keen academic and research interests have always been strongly driven by her sensitivity toward society's most vulnerable groups, like children, women, categories in need, people with disabilities, or minorities. In 2001, she became one of the co-founders of the Albanian Children Alliance and in 2002 served as an accredited contributor to the meetings of the Preparatory Committee for the Special UN General Assembly Session on Children. At present, she continues her engagement as a researcher at the Human Development Promotion Centre (HDPC) and a consultant for various international entities with a focus on economics, public policy, and human development issues.
Since 2010, Linda is married to the 33rd Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Edi Rama.
Early life
Linda Rama was born into an old Tirana family. Her father was a musician and played the horn, whereas her mother worked at the administration department of the former auto-tractor plant. As a child, she attended Kosova Elementary School, which operated on a then-experimental bilingual system (Albanian and English), and the 8-year “20 Vjetori” School in Tirana. She completed her secondary studies in industrial chemistry and graduated with honors[ ] from the school of economics, University of Tirana, with a degree in industrial economy in 1987. In the same year, she started teaching as a part-time lecturer at the university, focusing on the Organisation and Planning of Industrial Enterprises. In 1992, Linda Rama was admitted to the Central European University in Prague, where she pursued a master's degree in economy.
Upon completing her studies, Mrs. Rama went back to work as a lecturer of International Finance at a public university and, later, taught Public Policy and Public Risk Management at the European University of Tirana.
Career
Linda Rama's first professional experience was at the Textile Plant in Tirana, a typical socialist enterprise where she was employed after graduation. Upon completing her master's degree in Economy, Linda returned to Albania to be assigned to the National Privatisation Agency under the Council of Ministers as the officer responsible for conceiving and implementing the privatisation of large strategic enterprises. During her time at the Agency, Linda Rama offered a significant contribution to the introduction of modern market concepts, including joint stock companies, mass privatisation, shares, investment funds, guarantee funds, stock exchange, etc.
One year after completing her Ph.D. thesis, between 1997 and 1998, Linda Rama was appointed director general of the National Privatisation Agency.
Along with her primary economic studies, Linda Rama specialised in the labor market and the financial restructuring of companies. During her Master's studies and onwards, Linda Rama collaborated with scholars and professors from other countries, with whom she counts numerous collaborations in scientific research
In 1999, she went on to co-found the Human Development Promotion Centre (HDPC), one of the first think tanks in the Republic of Albania [[Albania]]. HDPC plays a critical role in fostering a constructive dialogue on current issues like the economy, governance, human development, public administration, regional development, and related reforms.
Between 1996 and 1999, Linda Rama served as a member of the supervisory board of the Share Registration Centre that preceded the establishment of Albania's stock exchange (1996–1999). Further, she was appointed as a member and Chair of the Management Committee of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005–2010), and later on as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015–2018).
Scientific research
Linda Rama is the main author, co-author, and contributor of dozens of studies, reports, articles, and publications focused on the economy, private sector development, governance, education, human development, and public administration that combine a strong academic interest with her own active interest on the issues of public concern and special sensitivity towards the most vulnerable groups of the society – women, children, categories in need, people with disabilities and minorities. In the course of almost 30 years of scientific research, Linda Rama counts over 50 articles and reports on economic, social, and human development issues in Albania, published in the country and abroad.
As a key author, co-author and contributor, she has published articles, evaluations or monitoring reports for major international organizations, such as the World Bank, International Labour Organisation (United Nations Organization), UNDP, UNWOMEN, University of Staffordshire, LSE, ETF, CASE Foundation, etc.
She has collaborated with personalities like Leszek Balcerowicz, a two-time Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland. Balcerowicz HYPERLINK NE WIKIPEDIA Balcerowics Plan was the initiator of a series of reforms that put an end to hyperinflation, balanced the budgetary deficit, and dismantled the inefficient economic structures in the early post-communist years in Poland; Ewa Balcerowicz, CASE Poland, Iraj Hashi, professor at Staffordshire Business School, Alia Moubayed of the Middle East Institute, Sergej Tsvetarsky, President of the National Statistical Institute Bulgaria, Farhad Merham, ILO International Expert, Arjan Gjonçaj, Associated Professor at LSE, Peter Middlebrook etc.
Public profile
Civic engagement in the causes of gender balance, protection of children's rights, and ethnic minorities have been going on hand in hand with Linda's research work She is an author, co-author, and contributor to many publications addressing the situation of society's most vulnerable groups. Publications such as the Improvement of Ethnic Relations in Southeast Europe, Human Development Reports Development Goals Reports[,Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Roma Decade in Albania Developing a Sustainable System for Addressing Violence against Women in Albania, Assessment of Trafficking in Children for Exploitation Purposes in Albania, Poverty Mitigation and Social Integration of People with Disabilities, etc., have had a significant impact in steering public policies focused on children, women, and vulnerable groups.
In 2001, together with the representatives of six other civil society organizations, Linda Rama co-founded the Albanian Children Alliance, an Albanian-based civil society movement aimed at protecting the rights of children, part of the larger Global Children's Movement, under the motto, “Say YES for Children”. Mrs. Rama was accredited by the UN to be a contributor in the Preparatory Committee Meetings for the Special UN General Assembly Special Session on Children held in 2002.
Linda Rama has attended numerous important fora and summits on human rights, including the Global Women Summit held in Tirana, Global Women Club Kosovo, Forum of Women in Leadership in Dubai, Young Muslim Women Summit, UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, etc. She joined the appeal issued by Women's Entrepreneurship Day of the Cherie Blair Foundation in support of women entrepreneurs from low- and middle-income countries, with the likes of Cherie Blair, Hillary Clinton, and other international personalities and later a second appeal, “Pave the Way to Girls”. In March 2022, Mrs Rama sent a message of solidarity to Olena Zelenska and the people of Ukraine
Linda Rama believes it is a personal choice of the Prime Minister's spouse whether to keep a public profile. “In making that choice, my first and unchanged conviction has been the right of the public to demand and get the deserved effective protagonism of the individual they have voted to be their Prime Minister, not that of his spouse.”
Staying true to her choice, Linda Rama has been present in public only in those instances she has deemed meaningful and useful for the public. She has been vocal and stood up for causes she believes in, asking for increased public attention on children, women in communities, women's role in the media, government, politics, etc.
Personal life
Linda Rama married Thanas Xhillari in 1989 and they share a daughter, Rea Xhillari. Since 2010, she has been married to Edi Rama, the 33d Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania. They have a son, Zaho Rama, born in 2014.
The Ramas are an interfaith family. Linda Rama was born into a Muslim household. Edi Rama has declared himself a Catholic, Rea and Gregori (Edi Rama's son from his previous marriage) belong to the Orthodox faith, whereas Zaho's faith will be his own choice
References
External links
1964 births
Living people
Albanian economists
Women economists
People from Tirana