Let's remove the barriers and invest in women's cybersecurity!

2024-03-08 09:10:34

In our society, the place of women is constantly evolving. They occupy increasingly important positions in all fields, including science and technology. However, one field still remains largely dominated by men: cybersecurity.

A booming sector that is struggling to become more feminized
Despite a growing demand for cybersecurity experts, women are still underrepresented in this sector. In Europe, only 14% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates are women, and this figure drops to 11% in France for cybersecurity positions.

Persistent stereotypes and prejudices
Several factors contribute to this situation. Gender stereotypes and prejudices can influence women’s aspirations and dissuade them from pursuing technical careers. The idea that cybersecurity is a domain reserved for men, “geeks” and introverts, is still too widespread.

Initiatives to encourage diversity

Fortunately, many initiatives aim to break these stereotypes and encourage the feminization of cybersecurity.

Awareness campaigns:

Orange Cyberdefense’s #NoBiasInCyber campaign highlights figures and female role models to inspire women and show them that they have their place in this sector.

Education and Training Programs:

Ms. Catherine Ledig’s master’s degree in Digital Economy Law and Electronic Commerce, composed mainly of women, is an example of a program that allows women to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in cybersecurity.

Professional associations and networks:

CEFCYS (Circle of Women in CYberSecurity) and Women4Cyber are examples of associations that support and support women in their careers in cybersecurity.

A double challenge: attractiveness and diversity
Attracting young people and women to cybersecurity careers is a crucial twofold challenge for the future of this sector.

Promote the diversity of professions:
Cybersecurity offers a multitude of varied and exciting careers, which are not limited to programming. It is important to make this diversity known and to show that these professions are accessible to everyone, men and women.

Highlight female role models:
Promoting the journeys of successful women in cybersecurity is essential to inspire new generations and show them that anything is possible.

Here is a list of cybersecurity careers that may interest you:

Cybersecurity Analyst
Cybersecurity consultant
Network Security Engineer
Application security engineer
Security architect
Pentest
Cybersecurity lawyer
Cybersecurity project manager
Information Systems Security Manager (CISO)

By investing in women’s cybersecurity, we are not only contributing to the empowerment of women, but we are also strengthening the digital security of all. Let’s break stereotypes and encourage women to enter this exciting and promising field!

Sources :

women experiencing gender-related prejudices.
Etude McKinsey « Women in the Workplace” 2022.pdf
2021 dashboard of women in digital
The World Bank’s “The Equality Equation” report

About Lina MALIK

Master 2 student in digital economy law. I am writing a technical file on “the digital transformation of the public sector: towards French and European sovereignty”.