On 11th March, the Cybersecurity Tech Accord had the honor of co-hosting a side event at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, together with the Permanent Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations.
Our event, titled “Breaking Barriers in Tech Careers”, brought together high-level representatives from government, the private sector, and the UN for a dynamic discussion on the major challenges, obstacles and opportunities for women and girls in STEM, and on ways to ensure they are part of the solution our societies need for a just digital future.
The event took stock of the important progress made in the implementation of the Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women, especially when it comes to education and training of women, and their participation in cybersecurity and STEM careers. Speakers included:
- H.E. Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
- H.E. Ms. Evelyn Wever-Croes, Prime Minister of Aruba
- H.E. Ms. Lise Gregoire-van Haaren, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations in New York, H.E.
- Ms. Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations in New York
- Edna Conway, CEO of EMC Advisors and former chief security & risk officer for cloud infrastructure at Microsoft
- Naria Santa Lucia, General Manager, Skills for Social Impact and US Community Engagement Microsoft Philanthropies
- Selene Giupponi, Managing Director for Europe, Resecurity & Council Member, Women4Cyber Foundation
The informal opening remarks delivered by H.E. Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs can be read in full here.
We would like to thank all speakers, participants, and our moderator Allison Pytlak, Senior Fellow and Director, Cyber Program, Stimson Center, for making this event a success, and hope that attendees were able to take away some useful and inspiring insights. We are proud to reaffirm the Cybersecurity Tech Accord’s commitment to advancing inclusivity in cybersecurity and the broader digital sector. As we take steps toward a more equitable future, we extend an open invitation to others in the industry to join us in this endeavour!