"Turning back to studies for a year was very enriching"

Aysegül Bayar Hildgen first crossed paths with Sciences Po in 2015: she was then working in a research centre in Istanbul, Turkey, assessing the impact of development projects on gender equality, and took part in the Sciences Po Women of the Mediterranean programme (designed to develop the skills of young women involved in promoting gender equality in Mediterranean countries). Six years later she came back to school, in the heart of the historic Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood, to complete a one-year executive Master in Advanced Global Studies. Her story.

What did you take away from the Women of the Mediterranean programme?

An important take away from the programme were its participants. Nineteen wonderful women from southern Mediterranean countries — lawyers, directors, activists, social scientists, entrepreneurs – all contributing to a more just society through their particular paths. As the structural obstacles to gender equality and the feminist movement in these countries are similar, experience sharing with the participants was very meaningful, and inspired for new ways of continuing the struggle. The balance between theory and practice in the programme was another positive aspect: we did not only had sessions with Sciences Po’s academics, but also met practitioners from the civil society, private and the public sectors, such as Haut Conseil à l'Égalité entre les femmes et les hommes [in English: High Council for Gender Equality]. As I will continue my career in Paris, this network is an important leverage for me. Last but not least, joining a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg was a remarkable experience. Heartful thanks once again to the programme’s coordinators Caterina Sabbatini-Clec’h and Laurence Souloumiac, and the PRESAGE team for designing such an exceptional programme!

Could you tell us more about your role at the Sabanci Foundation?

Prior to joining Sciences Po, I had nine years of professional experience in the development sector. I started my career at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement in Paris. Later worked in Infakto Research as Research Projects Coordinator assessing the impact of development projects on gender equality. During the past six years, I worked as Grant Programs Coordinator at the Sabanci Foundation in Istanbul — Turkey’s leading foundation promoting gender equality, children’s rights, and disability rights. I supervised and developed projects, strengthened capacities of NGOs, built partnerships to scale-up impact, organised international conferences, and managed international relations. In terms of themes, my work focused on gender-based violence, gender mainstreaming, women’s economic and political participation, as well as inclusive education and children’s well-being. The foundation is both very close to the field, and has an important leverage vis-à-vis public actors, which gave me an opportunity to advocate for policy changes, and the adoption of impactful models by public actors. One of the recent projects I was involved in was developing the Young Women Building Their Future programme (PDF, 190Ko) on women’s economic empowerment in partnership with national ministries and UN agencies, as a response to Turkey’s high rate of women who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) among the OECD countries. Sharing of experiences and mobilising stakeholders for collective action are crucial in addressing today’s global challenges. In this regard, I designed and implemented the Covid-19 response to address the gendered impacts of the pandemic, in partnership with NGOs and private actors. Also, I co-curated and implemented the first Istanbul edition of the globally renowned Women of the World Festival 2021 with more than 100 participants from civil society, arts, public sector, and academia. I also represented the Foundation in Gender Equality Network of Philea where we shared experience on grantmaking with a gender lens with other European foundations.

Why did you choose to go back to school at Sciences Po?

The main motivation behind this choice was improving my policymaking skills in development issues. Not only because policies are impactful, but also on a personal level I am very interested in each stage of designing a policy recommendation, and contributing to positive social change from a macro level. Prior to Sciences Po, I had a master’s in Political Science from Université Paris Dauphine, and I oriented my career towards social development. I wanted to combine my professional expertise with a more targeted academic knowledge, thus decided to study a master’s of International Development, with a concentration in Human Rights. Sciences Po's Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) was my only choice in this regard, because of the ideal mix of practitioners and academics in its faculty, the intensive policy training, and the diversity of its students. The one-year executive master’s programme was an ideal opportunity not to stay away for too long from the professional sphere. I also appreciated the intensive negotiation skills, public speaking, and writing workshops, which make Sciences Po a hub for agents of change.

Can you tell us about the feminist movement in Turkey and your involvement?

Over the last decade in Turkey, we witnessed anti-gender legislations across rights ranging from sexual and reproductive rights, economic rights, and freedom of assembly. The protection of rights, in this atmosphere, necessitated a holistic and collective stance by the feminist movement. In this sense, the rising oppression might be interpreted to have an unexpected positive effect, encouraging the feminist movement to carry out transformations in its organisation and its strategy. In my opinion, the feminist movement in Turkey is strong and collective as never in history, and it is the backbone of resistance to democratic backsliding. It is also very connected with feminist movements across the world, which is both important for sharing experiences but also for situations that necessitate an international collective stance, such as for the human rights violations towards women and girls in Afghanistan. One of the peculiarities that I appreciate about the feminist movement in Turkey is the common ground it creates for solidarity, which is immune to the polarisations within the society.

My involvement in the feminist movement is mostly on creating bridges between the movement and the academia, philanthropic actors, and private sector, contributing to fundraising efforts, as well as mobilising philanthropic organisations and private sector for protection of rights through advocacy and communication. Being involved in a rights movement in such a dynamic political atmosphere is although challenging at times, very rewarding and enriching.

What is next for you?

I am glad to have completed my master’s degree in June 2022 with a cum laude distinction. An exciting chapter is ahead, as I will be continuing my career in Paris. Currently, I am reaching out to my network and following positions in my target organisations working on gender equality at the policy or project level. Turning back to studies for a year was very enriching, now I am looking forward to being back in the professional sphere!

More

• Aysegül Bayar Hildgen graduated from the School of International Affairs with an Executive Master in Advanced Global Studies (MAGS) in the International Development track and Human Rights concentration
• PRESAGE, Sciences Po's Gender Studies Programme
• The Sciences Po Women of the Mediterranean programme [in French: Femmes d'Avenir en Méditerranée] (FR) has ended in 2017