According to statistics published by (SAFCSP), women now represent 45% of the cybersecurity sector. The Information Security Association (Hemaya) has noticed that there is a growing interest in the field.
Arabic language and women’s empowerment
Hemaya is a registered NGO that supports the development of Arabic-language content on cybersecurity. The organization also supports the empowerment of women within the field. The NGO was formed by a group of cybersecurity professionals in 2011 in order to foster the exchange of experience and knowledge across the sector. Abrar Alrefaei, Deputy CEO of Information Security at Hemaya, said that the organization works to fill the Arabic-language gap in security literature and content and to raise awareness among the wider Arabic-speaking public about the dangers of the internet and safe technology use.
Since its creation, Hemaya has worked to support women in the cybersecurity field. A special community was established in the association, HameyaT, which in turn includes several women specializing in cyber security, Abrar said. Nouf Yousef, HameyaT community supervisor and cyber security and information technology director, said that Hemaya is registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), which aims to activate the role of the sector by providing awareness and training in the information security field.
Hemaya provides plans, consulting services, and specialized courses as required in order to provide information and programs that enhance security and protection for organizations and their stakeholder data through a group of experts and specialists in the cybersecurity sector, Nouf said. Hemaya cooperates with a number of leading actors, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), Abrar said.
Job prospects
“The efforts of the various sectors, led by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), resulted in providing many jobs and training opportunities”, Chief Information Security Officer at Saudi National Bank, Rasha Abu AlSaud, said, noting that “there is a high turnout of women to join the cybersecurity field, where it provides employment chances in the establishments without any discrimination”.
Cybersecurity education
Dr. Wejdan Bin Saeedan, a member of Hemaya, said that she has noticed increasing and sustained interest in cyber security education. Female students in general education are increasingly expressing an interest in cybersecurity, alongside women who work in the sector and wish to further their careers. Yousef also noted that the number of cybersecurity graduates is increasing.
According to Yousef, in 2017, women constituted about 11% of the global cybersecurity workforce. In 2019 the number increased to reach 24% globally, according to a study conducted by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium.
Saudi Arabia’s efforts to digitize its economy were recently hailed as an important step in modernizing its economy.
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