In observance of International Women in Cyber Day on Sept. 1, New Zealand’s cybersecurity leaders have called for stronger efforts to address gender disparities and promote inclusivity within the industry, including the cyber insurance sector.
Lynn Dohm, executive director of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), noted that while there has been progress in mentoring and training women for cybersecurity roles, the overall percentage of women in the field has remained stagnant at around 20% to 25%.
“Unfortunately, women experience a significant lack of advancement opportunities, and the exclusion rate is higher than in most industries,” she said, as reported by IT Brief.
Dohm said that women bring outstanding skills and knowledge to cybersecurity, frequently outperforming their colleagues in all seven NICE categories and at all experience levels – emphasising the importance of creating inclusive workplaces that enable them to advance their careers.
She said that many women in cybersecurity reach a career plateau between six and 10 years into their roles, even though they excel in critical areas such as network security, communications, and leadership.
Dohm encouraged the industry to focus on the challenges women face and work towards a more diverse and supportive environment.
Nicole Sundin, chief product officer at Axio, aired the same sentiments, highlighting the broader technology sector’s responsibility in fostering gender equity, particularly with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
“AI has been a significant workforce accelerator and disruptor in the last couple years. However, there are serious gender and racial inequalities present in these technologies,” she said, as reported by IT Brief.
She called on women in technology and cybersecurity to scrutinise AI training models and their potential to disproportionately affect women’s roles. She also emphasised the ongoing issue of the gender pay gap and called for more transparency and advocacy within organisations.
Mentorship was identified as a critical tool in promoting gender equality in leadership positions.
“Women in leadership have an obligation to mentor other women, guide and listen to problems, and help elevate them in the workforce,” Sundin said.
She also urged women to actively claim their contributions and ensure they receive proper recognition in collaborative projects.
Isabel Castillo, a cloud security analyst at Lastwall, shared her approach to overcoming gender bias in the cybersecurity field, emphasising the need to prioritise skills and expertise over gender.
“What’s crucial, though, is visibility and representation in the industry. The underrepresentation of women in tech-related fields sends a subtle yet powerful message about who belongs in these roles,” she said.
She advocated for the active celebration of women’s contributions to cybersecurity to change existing narratives and encourage more diverse participation. She also argued that altering these perceptions is essential not just for women but for young men as well, creating a more inclusive environment for all who aspire to work in tech fields.
“The future of cybersecurity depends on diverse perspectives, and this begins with changing the narrative around who can excel in this field,” she said.
These discussions on inclusivity are occurring as New Zealand’s technology leaders also focus on the critical challenges of 2024, particularly the rapid development of AI and cybersecurity.
A recent report by the Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ) identified these areas as key priorities for the year ahead.
The report noted a decline in New Zealand’s position in the Portulans Network Readiness Index, dropping from 19th to 23rd, which has raised concerns among technology leaders about AI talent, digital skills, and high-tech manufacturing.
In addition to gender inclusivity, New Zealand’s technology industry is focusing on resilience, cloud technology adoption, and promoting digital equity.
