بحث إستراتيجيات سد الفجوة العالمية في القوى العاملة بالأمن السيبراني وإطلاق مؤشر لحماية الطفل

As part of the global initiative "Empowering Women in Cybersecurity" launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the International Cybersecurity Forum held a high-level meeting this year that included several decision-makers from international organizations, including the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies.

The meeting addressed the need to formulate practical strategies to bridge the global workforce gap in cybersecurity, the importance of leveraging the full potential of women in building a resilient cyberspace, raising awareness and knowledge about cybersecurity among female students, and developing their skills through specialized programs.

In this context, the International Cybersecurity Forum, in collaboration with Duke University, released an international report titled "Bridging the Gaps: Challenges and Barriers to Expanding the Female Workforce in Latin America," which was unveiled during the International Cybersecurity Forum. The report provides new evidence-based insights into the challenges and opportunities for women's entry and advancement within the cybersecurity workforce.

The report indicated that survey data and field studies for 2025, collected across Latin America, revealed that approximately 64% of survey participants agreed that women's representation in this field remains significantly weak. The challenges of underrepresentation revolve around all four stages of the women's career path, as mentioned in the 2022 report, including the entry and qualification stage, the employment stage, the retention stage, and the career advancement stage.

The student opinion survey revealed that limited engagement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects at an early stage, along with a lack of guidance, hinders women's participation in cybersecurity. More than half of the respondents, 53.3%, reported being unaware of cybersecurity opportunities and available career options, while over 40% expressed a lack of confidence in their technical and professional skills, emphasizing the need for mentorship and guidance in this regard.

In this context, the International Cybersecurity Forum announced the launch of the "Child Protection in Cyberspace Index," in collaboration with the DQ Institute and relevant international organizations, in light of the strategic objectives of the global initiative launched by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz to "protect children in cyberspace."

A Global Tool for Measuring Progress

The International Cybersecurity Forum announced - as part of the 2025 forum activities held in the capital, Riyadh - the development of the "Child Protection in Cyberspace Index" to serve as a global tool for measuring progress in creating a safer cyberspace for children, in addition to providing decision-makers with practical insights that contribute to enhancing child protection in cyberspace. The index is based on a comprehensive measurement methodology and focuses on all relevant dimensions of child protection, including schools, parents, technical infrastructure, private sector companies, and national policies regarding child protection.

The International Cybersecurity Forum, established by royal decree in 2023 as an independent and internationally oriented institution, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s global initiatives as one of its missions, unifying the efforts of stakeholders globally by opening avenues for partnership, cooperation, and exchange of experiences, and driving dialogue among leading experts on cybersecurity topics related to child protection and women's empowerment, thereby supporting economic and social development worldwide.