CISA and Girl Scouts Join Forces to Bridge Gender Gap in Cybersecurity

CISA and Girl Scouts:The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to bridge the gender gap in cybersecurity. The two organizations have been working together since 2017 to create cybersecurity badges for Girl Scouts. This MOU formalizes their partnership and aims to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.
Gender Gap in Cybersecurity
Currently, only 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce is comprised of women, according to a report by Women in Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity Ventures. This is a significant loss for the industry as women make up 51% of the population. Bridging the gender gap in cybersecurity is critical to tap into a huge talent pool and solving the cyber workforce shortage.
CISA and Girl Scouts Partnership
CISA provided through collaboration in 2017 to create 18 cybersecurity badges for Girl Scouts. In less than five years, over 315,000 cybersecurity badges have been earned by Girl Scouts. In 2021, CISA partnered with CYBER.ORG and GSUSA to launch the 2021 Girl Scout Cyber Awareness Challenge to develop the next generation of diverse cybersecurity talent and strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity resilience.
Future Plans
CISA will participate in the 2023 Girl Scout Convention at Phenom by Girl Scouts in July 2023. CISA will also continue to share tips for girls and their families to stay safe online, not only as they navigate our increasingly digital world, but also as they learn entrepreneurship skills when selling their famous Girl Scout Cookies®.
Importance of Closing the Gender Gap in Cybersecurity
Closing the gender gap in cybersecurity can bring a diversity of thought, enable better problem-solving, and ease the cyber workforce shortage, making the nation more prepared to take on the threats of today and tomorrow.
CISA’s Other Collaborations
CISA has recently signed an MOU with Women in Cybersecurity and is working to participate in their mentoring program, which matches women working in cyber with newer women in the field.
In conclusion, CISA and GSUSA’s partnership aims to bridge the gender gap in cybersecurity by inspiring the next generation of cybersecurity leaders. This partnership will help tap into a huge talent pool and solve the cyber workforce shortage.