Women underrepresented in cybersecurity
“Women remain underrepresented in cybersecurity and in the rooms where decisions are made – at precisely the moment when cyber threats are escalating”, UN Women says announcing the launching of The Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity Award. The organisation stresses that cybersecurity is no longer a technical niche. “It is a foundation of global resilience, shaping economic stability, public trust, humanitarian action and international security.”
“This is not only a pipeline problem; it is a systems problem. Economic and social barriers, from unequal access to education and training opportunities, to barriers and bias in hiring and promotion, to the unequal burden of unpaid care – continue to narrow women’s pathways into the cybersecurity sector.”
“The cost is collective: the cybersecurity space should not leave women and girls on the margins but instead tap into their potential to strengthen global digital resilience.”
The award is a global initiative by the Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) and is structured across four complementary tracks: Pipeline Builder (recognizes organisations that build early pathways for girls and young women), Advocacy Champion (recognizes organizations that strengthen the visibility and inclusion of women in cybersecurity), Workforce Enablement (recognizes organizations that help women enter, grow in, and remain in cybersecurity roles), and Leadership & Entrepreneurship (recognizes organizations that support women in advancing into cybersecurity leadership and entrepreneurship).
The rapid evolution of cyberthreats has created a growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. Cybersecurity is among the fastest-growing skill areas, yet faces a talent gap of up to 4.8 million unfilled positions. Only 14% of organisations have the skilled talent needed, according to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Future of Jobs 2025 report.
Addressing this requires public–private partnerships, Gen AI-driven reskilling, and quantum upskilling, shaping a future workforce that is not just tech-savvy, but adaptable, creative, and collaboratively developed, the WEF says in a report.
17% of cyberattacks and data leaks will by 2027 involve generative AI. Since the release of GenAI, attackers are increasingly using tools along with large language models (LLMs) to carry out large-scale attacks, marketing research firm Gartner says in a forecast.
Moonshot News is an independent European news website for all IT, Media and Advertising professionals, powered by women and with a focus on driving the narrative for diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the industry.
Our mission is to provide top and unbiased information for all professionals and to make sure that women get their fair share of voice in the news and in the spotlight!
We produce original content, news articles, a curated calendar of industry events and a database of women IT, Media and Advertising associations.
