Deadline: 31 March 2022
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and EQUALS, the global partnership for gender equality in the digital age of which ITU is a co-founder, jointly organize the Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme for empowering women in the cyber security sector. The programme engages role models and leaders in this field, and connects them with talented women in Africa, the Arab region, and Asia-Pacific.
The programme is an outcome of the CyberDrill 2020 Empowering Women in Cyber security webinar, where the need for role models and mentorship was identified as pivotal to increase the number of women leaders in cybersecurity.
It is made up of three parts, featuring monthly mentorship circles with activities including inspirational webinars and technical and soft skills training courses.
Objectives
The Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme is a three-part initiative incorporating guided monthly mentorship circles with supporting activities including a series of inspirational webinars and technical and soft skills training courses. INSPIRE, TRAIN, EMPOWER
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INSPIRE: Shift the mentality and tackle systemic barriers that prevent broader inclusion
- Promote the perception of women not as a special needs group, but as valuable additions to the cybersecurity workforce, through inspirational keynote webinars.
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TRAIN: Encourage women to take on leadership roles in cybersecurity
- Provide expert training courses from leaders in the field and equip women with not just technical skills, but also the soft skills needed for successful professional development.
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EMPOWER: Promote knowledge sharing of best practices in cybersecurity career development
- Provide a platform where women in senior positions can mentor and foster the professional and personal growth of women at junior levels.
Target Audience
This rollout of the Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme is being offered specifically to women residing in the Africa, Arab regions and Asia and Pacific. By limiting regional participation, the programme aims to provide women support in their local cybersecurity communities.
Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Arab States: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, State of Palestine, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Asia Pacific: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Lao P.D.R., Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
Note: Upon registration through the dedicated link, the WiC Inspirational Keynote Webinars were open to the general public. The trainings and mentorship circles were open exclusively to eligible women to the programme.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to participate in the Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme, interested women must have:
- For mentees: Minimum 2-3 years junior level experience in the field of cyber security, or seeking to enter the cyber security workforce from another junior level ICT/STEM position.
- For mentors: proven extensive experience in the cyber security field, preferably senior and managerial positions in the public, private, academic and civil society sectors.
- The programme will be delivered in English. Participants must have a good working knowledge of English.
- A computer and stable internet connection.
- There are no age restrictions.
Note: The eligibility criteria are not applicable to participants wishing to attend the WiC Inspirational Keynote Webinars.
For more information, visit https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Pages/Women-in-Cyber/Women-in-Cyber-Mentorship-Programme-2022.aspx