Her CyberTracks empowers women in cybersecurity through specialized training and mentorship by offering three tailored CyberTracks—Policy & Diplomacy, Incident Response, and Criminal Justice, specialized learning paths on the ITU Academy.
WHY WE NEED HER CYBERTRACKS
The digital landscape is shaped by everyone, yet the teams safeguarding it are predominantly male. This lack of diversity weakens cybersecurity efforts, as robust and effective protection requires diverse teams and policies reflecting the online population they protect.
As of 2024, women comprised less than 26% of the global cybersecurity workforce – despite the progress, they continue to be disproportionately subjected to online threats like cyberstalking, harassment, and doxxing.
Key barriers to women entering this male-dominated field include unequal access to training opportunities, a lack of strong female role models, and low awareness of exciting career options in cybersecurity. Initiatives like Her CyberTracks aim to change that, by empowering women and bridging the gap towards a more inclusive and secure digital future for all.
WHAT WE DO
Equipping women with the necessary skills and mindset to succeed in the cybersecurity industry, Her CyberTracks promotes the full, equal, and meaningful representation of women in cybersecurity.
Her CyberTracks is a natural progression of ITU's dedication to promoting gender diversity in cybersecurity. By leveraging the success of the
Women in Cyber Mentorship Programme, Her CyberTracks provides specialized, targeted training, maintaining the essential mentorship and role modeling aspects. The program is poised to propel the next generation of women in cybersecurity into roles of leadership, ensuring that their voices and expertise shape the future of this critical field.
There are three pillars at the core of our approach. We aim to:
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TRAIN We provide expert training courses to equip women with the technical and soft skills needed to shape cybersecurity.
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MENTOR We provide a platform for women in senior positions to mentor women at junior level, and foster their professional and personal growth.
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INSPIRE We organise inspirational keynote webinars and networking meetings to shift perceptions and (rightly) position women as valuable additions to the cybersecurity workforce.
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Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, Her CyberTracks is co-implemented by the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
OUR CYBERTRACKS
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Policy&Diplomacy
CyberTrack
Who should sign up: - Women working in cybersecurity policymaking, ICT/digital, peace and security
- Women in technical roles wishing to enter policy/diplomacy roles
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Incident Response
CyberTrack
Who should sign up: - Women working in IT in the public sector wishing to become skilled in cyber
- Women at entry level in CERT/SOC teams
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Criminal Justice
CyberTrack
(implemented by UNODC)
Who should sign up: - Women working in the criminal justice sector involved in or aiming to enter cybersecurity and countering cybercrime fields
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What you will learn: - Concepts, themes and processes of cybersecurity policy and cyberdiplomacy, to contribute effectively to national and international cybersecurity policymaking
- Practical, hands-on training in soft skills used in negotiation, and leadership techniques
- Professional networking, cross-regional collaboration and information-sharing
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- How to establish a strong foundation in cybersecurity concepts; basic incident response skills to allow entry-level responders to contribute effectively in a crisis
- Practical training on entry-level tools and techniques commonly used in incident response, to familiarise newcomers with tools used in real-world scenarios
- Soft skills, such as communication and teamwork – to ensure entry-level responders can help resolve incidents efficiently
| What you will learn:
- Cybercrime typologies and legal frameworks in order to understand and contribute to cybercrime cases investigations and prosecutions
- Practical, hands-on training to develop set of skills in cybercrime investigation
- Development of soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, professional development and networking
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APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025 EDITION WILL OPEN IN FEBRUARY 2025
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Her CyberTracks is being offered specifically to women residing in targeted countries in Africa and Europe/CIS regions. With an approach concentrating on regional participation, the programme aims to provide women with support in their local cybersecurity communities. A limited number of sponsorships are available per region to support participants in their travels to on-site formats (e.g. face-to-face trainings and networking meetings).
Target countries:
Europe/CIS: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.
Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay
To be able to participate in the Her CyberTracks initiative, interested women must fulfil the following requirements:
- The programme will be held in English, with some parts providing French interpretation. Participants must have a good working knowledge of English.
- Willingness and ability to allocate circa 15 hours per month for the duration of the programme.
- There are no age restrictions.
- Travel expenses are covered for hands-on face-to-face trainings through a limited number of sponsorships for participants from the targeted countries
- The delivery of the webinars, online trainings and mentorship circles will be via Zoom.
- A computer and stable internet connection is necessary
- Upon completion of the curriculum, participants will receive an ITU Academy certificate of completion.
