About SGSP

The Shahla Garayeva Scholarship Program (SGSP) aims to advance the educational aspirations and goals of underrepresented young women from Azerbaijan. Despite the progressive legal framework, Azerbaijani women face many obstacles accessing educational opportunities. According to UNDP (2007), stereotypical gender attitudes in education reveal that boys are not only given more opportunity in education but also they receive a higher and better education. When it comes to pursuing educational goals in Azerbaijan, while financial difficulties may affect both genders, girls are viewed as being more vulnerable to both physical and cultural dangers, susceptible to gender stereotypes, and subject to early marriages.

The SGSP is memorial crowdfunding project named after Dr. Shahla Garayeva (1962-2018), a renowned pedagogue, professor of English language and American literature as well as one of the most talented teachers. Dr. Garayeva lost her life to cancer in April 2018 after a hard-fought battle. Hundreds of her students have known Shahla as a strong spirit, mother figure, passionate educator and most importantly, a friend. Through this program, her students, community, as well as anyone who has been touched by Shahla’s story, are paying tribute to her by cultivating the future generations of strong women in Azerbaijan. Therefore, the funds collected will be allocated to young women candidates pursuing educational opportunities through an open call for applications..