A growing sector, that of cyber, but still too few women are involved in it. Yet, the high-tech professions are those of the future, given that the data economy today is worth 60 billion euros in Europe. Women working in the cyber sector today are only 20%, an increase compared to 11% 6 years ago, but still too few, even for a cultural issue.
A conference was dedicated to the space for women in the cyber world and, in general, in the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) on Monday 23 September in the Regina di Montecitorio room. The initiative, called "Cyber Parity", was promoted by the Hon. Mara Carfagna, vice president of the Chamber of Deputies who, always dealing with equal opportunities, presented a law proposal to facilitate female students who, with merit, they may not pay the university tuition for STEM disciplines for the regular duration of the courses, as explained by the same vice president.
The conference was born as part of the project developed by “Women4Cyber”, which is committed to promoting gender inclusion in the field of cybersecurity. Women4Cyber is a European initiative launched by the European Commissioner for the digital economy and society, Mariya Gabriel and officially established in January 2019 within ECSO (“European Cyber Security Organization”), dedicated to cyber security in Europe.
We must work and on several fronts to involve women more in the activities of STEM in Europe and every specialist in their field who intervened during the conference underlined the objective, starting with Domitilla Benigni, founding member of Women4Cyber and general manager of Electronics, a group that deals with defense and security systems including cybersecurity.
The other speeches: the Minister for Equal Opportunities and the Family Elena Bonetti, the Director of the Postal Police and Communications Service Nunzia Ciardi, who emphasized how women are often the victims of cyber crimes, the director of the ministry's cyber policy of Foreign Affairs of the Dutch government Carmen Gonsalves, the vice president of the LUISS University Guido Carli Paola Severino, the president of the Rectors' Conference Gaetano Manfredi and, in connection from Brussels, the director for the European Commission of the Digital society, trust and cybersecurity DG connect Despina Spanou.
A topic that of gender inclusion in STEM disciplines that will deserve further study ...
