All the Cyber Ladies Meet-Up: Empowering Women in Cybersecurity

The cybersecurity sector is growing rapidly, yet the representation of women continues to lag behind. This makes initiatives that promote visibility, connection and inclusion more important than ever. This came together at the Centre for Safety and Digitalisation (CVD), where over 50 women and allies were welcomed for the spring event of All the Cyber Ladies, a milestone as the very first meet-up in the eastern Netherlands.

Held in the context of International Women’s Day, the event centred around the theme Encrypting Equality. The afternoon highlighted the value of bringing like-minded individuals together. From young professionals to experienced experts, participants shared diverse perspectives, united by a common motivation: contributing to a more inclusive cybersecurity community.

This theme reflects a broader movement towards increasing the number of women in cybersecurity. While the sector continues to expand, female representation remains limited. Initiatives like this not only make talent more visible, but also help to strengthen networks, facilitate knowledge exchange and lower barriers to entry.

Diverse backgrounds

With insightful contributions from Amber Westhoff and Jasmine Fan of the Municipality of Apeldoorn, participants gained a practical perspective on cybersecurity within local government. This was followed by a personal career story from Alejandra Reynaldos Rojas of Digitaal Talent Nederland, who demonstrated that there is no single path into cybersecurity, and that diverse backgrounds are a significant strength.

This was clearly reflected among the attendees. Only a small proportion of participants had a formal ICT background, highlighting an important insight: the sector is more accessible than often assumed. Feelings of doubt or not being “technical enough”, commonly known as imposter syndrome, are recognisable, but ultimately unnecessary.

Connection and inspiration

As founder Lucinda Sterk aptly put it: “In cybersecurity, it is essential to have diverse perspectives when defending against cyber threats. Women often approach challenges differently than men, and that perspective is urgently needed. Did you know that historically, it was often women who operated computers?”

All the Cyber Ladies plays a key role in this by increasing the visibility of women in cybersecurity and providing a platform for connection and inspiration.

Towards an inclusive cyber community

This first edition in the eastern Netherlands demonstrates the strong potential of such initiatives. At the same time, it underlines their necessity: bringing talent together, broadening perspectives and collectively building a more inclusive cybersecurity community.