BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin gave opening remarks at the launch of the Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme, jointly organized by ITU, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and the EQUALS Global Partnership . The programme engages role models and leaders in the cybersecurity field, and connects them with talented women worldwide.
Noting the importance of strengthening cybersecurity capacity in a world which is in increasing transition to digital, Ms Bogdan-Martin stated her pleasure to launch this initiative that aims to encourage women to ''dive in and thrive'' in the cybersecurity field.
She remarked that, ''With digital now such a central part of our lives, the world is waking up to the positive impact empowering women would have on boosting the cybersecurity workforce and increasing the talent pool for the rapidly growing number of cybersecurity jobs.''
The digital sector experiences a global shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals, and within this shortage, women are acutely underrepresented. Greater contributions from women promise to boost the economic value of this sector.
Ms Bogdan-Martin underlined inclusiveness as a critical element of effective cybersecurity response. She observed, ''we know from experience that diverse teams are better able to handle complex crises because they bring in different experiences, different ways of thinking, and different problem-solving skills.''
The mentorship programme offers a unique opportunity for participants to connect with other impressive women in the field, and learn from each other through guided monthly mentorship circles with supporting activities, including a series of inspirational webinars and technical and soft skills training courses.
Ms Bogdan-Martin explained that mentoring is a highly effective tool for breaking down barriers, as it gives women the courage take on challenging and exciting opportunities by exposing them to inspiring role models and displacing old mindsets. She affirmed, mentors ''can inspire a girl to become tomorrow's next tech leader…they can empower a woman to dare to follow her dreams and build an impressive tech career.''
The inaugural rollout of the programme will run in the Africa and Arab regions from March to August 2021. Ms Bogdan-Martin appreciated its timeliness, given the urgent need for more women cybersecurity professionals, and the programme's contribution to building regional capacity on key digital skills.
