Advancing Women in Cybersecurity: Insights from 50/50 by 2050 

On December 10th, members of The NETWORK, @Natalia, @Barbora, @Patricia joined the inspiring 50/50 by 2050 event, organized by Women Cyber Force, to explore how we can accelerate gender balance in the cybersecurity field.

Key Takeaways

• HR involvement is critical: To open more opportunities for women in cybersecurity, HR leaders must be actively engaged. This includes creating pathways such as internship programmes that encourage young talent or career change to enter and thrive in the sector.
• No Women, No Panel: The commitment to ensure female representation in panel discussions was reinforced. In Luxembourg, promoting the principle that without women present, there will be no panel of any sort.
• Mentorship matters: Structured mentorship programmes were highlighted as a powerful way to guide and support women in building sustainable careers in cybersecurity.
• Beyond coding: Cybersecurity is not only about technical skills. It requires diverse expertise — from jurists, psychologists to specialists in corporate social responsibility (RSE) and more — demonstrating that women can contribute across multiple dimensions of the field.
• Education must start early — and not only with girls: A key challenge remains making mathematics and science more engaging for girls beyond the age of nine, a stage where many begin to lose interest. At the same time, boys need to learn to collaborate respectfully and effectively with girls throughout their upbringing. Building curiosity, emotional intelligence, and self-confidence in young girls is essential for strengthening the pipeline of future female leaders in STEM. Creating supportive environments where both girls and boys grow together — academically, socially, and emotionally — is crucial for achieving lasting change.

Moving Forward

The event underscored that achieving 50/50 by 2050 is not just a vision but a collective responsibility. By involving HR professionals, fostering mentorship, ensuring representation, and rethinking education, we can create a more inclusive and innovative cybersecurity landscape.

Stay tuned with The Network

We will propose an event on the subject during 2026.

Stay tuned!!