Gizem Özbek has been the Head of Programme for Protection of Human Rights Defenders at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's Global Support for Democracy Unit since January 2021. Before joining the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, she worked as a Programme Officer at ProtectDefenders.eu, for the project "Comprehensive Support to Human Rights Defenders in Turkey". Prior to that, she worked as a Research Assistant on Turkey and on children’s rights at Human Rights Watch in Berlin.

Gizem holds a BA in International Relations from the Middle East Technical University of Ankara, and a dual MA degree in German-Turkish Master's Programme in Social Sciences from the Middle East Technical University of Ankara and Humboldt University of Berlin.