Experts and policymakers work to strengthen women’s role in cybersecurity at OSCE workshop in Astana

Cybersecurity experts and policymakers from Central Asia, South Caucasus and Mongolia explored ways to strengthen the role of women in cybersecurity at a workshop in Astana organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana from 9 to 10 April.

The 25 workshop participants discussed practical approaches for developing inclusive policies and strategies in cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy. They shared good practices from policy and academia, showcasing regional and international efforts to enhance women’s involvement. Through a practical exercise, participants considered ways to implement the OSCE’s 16 cyber/ICT security confidence-building measures in a gender-responsive way.

“We want to make our societies wealthier and give our people more opportunities — this is where cybersecurity comes into play. We want cyberspace to be a safe space for everyone to develop. By ensuring that women can also participate in the ICT sector, we are tapping into a huge potential,” said Nico Schermers, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kazakhstan and to Central Asia, during his opening remarks on behalf of the Netherlands, one of the workshop’s financial supporters.

The workshop is the second of two workshops on women’s empowerment in cybersecurity, with the first taking place in Sarajevo in March 2025. They were held as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Activities and customized support for the implementation of OSCE cyber/ICT security confidence-building measures”.