“Her CyberTracks programme is addressing a global criticality: the underrepresentation of women in cybersecurity. Women continue to be vastly underrepresented in both cybersecurity technical and policy roles,” said Liina Areng, the Director of LAC4. “Through a combination of classes, upskilling, mentorship and professional networking, the programme will empower participants to thrive in cybersecurity domain and actively shape the future of cyber policy, incident response and cybercrime. LAC4 is happy to support 15 highly motivated professionals from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay already working in ICT across governments, private sector and academia.”
The programme brings together over 160 trainees and 100 mentors from 42 countries, selected from more than 1000 applicants. The 15 participants from LAC region are information security experts, software developers, data analysts, engineers and managers from mostly private but also public sector organisations dealing with digital services provision, legal and business consultancy, digital healthcare and green energy solutions.
The curriculum combines virtual and on-site training with personalized mentorship and leadership development. Each participant will follow one of three tracks:
- Policy & Diplomacy CyberTrack for women in cybersecurity policymaking or those transitioning from technical roles. Participants will explore concepts and processes in national and international cybersecurity policy and diplomacy such as international cybersecurity policy, cyber diplomacy, national cybersecurity strategies, gender-responsive cyber policymaking, confidence-building measures, AI in cyber policy and international governance.
- Incident Response CyberTrack for women working in IT in public sector or early-career CERT/SOC specialists. Participants on this track will advance their basic incident response kills and make use of entry-level tools and techniques in cybersecurity fundamentals such as incident management and its lifecycle, digital forensics, cyber threat intelligence and incident communications.
- Criminal Justice CyberTrack for women working in criminal justice involving cybersecurity or countering cybercrime. Participants will discuss frameworks and learn tools to contribute to cybercrime investigations and prosecution. Topics include cybercrime, countering cybercrime, open source intelligence, cyber patrolling, digital evidence collection and management, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, human rights and digital investigation.
The programme combines online seminars, self-paced content, interactive assignments, and peer discussions. Participants are matched with mentors based on their professional interests, expertise and geography, and the mentorship included regular one-on-one meetings and group mentoring to set goals, track progress and provide support.
Participant sessions include:
- Kick-Off Event: 12th May 2025
- Mentorship Introduction and Goals: 15th May 2025
- Mindfulness for Cyber Professionals: 17th July 2025
- LinkedIn for Career Advancement: 12th August 2025
- Cyber Threat Landscapes: 22nd October 2025
- Closing Session: 31st October 2025
In addition to virtual sessions, participants have the opportunity to join in-person activities during regional Her CyberTracks Forums in Europe, Africa and LAC region which are focusing on practical training, leadership development, and peer networking. These events will also feature hands-on simulations, soft skills masterclasses, study visits, and mentorship circles.
Her CyberTracks proramme is co-oranised with the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Internatonal Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Microsoft.
Further information: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Pages/Skills-Development/Her-CyberTracks.aspx
