International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD), September 1, 2026
The Global Impact of IWCD
International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD) is a worldwide movement observed annually on September 1st to celebrate, recognize, and promote the vital contributions of women across the global cybersecurity industry.
Founded by cybersecurity leader Lisa Kearney, the initiative began with the first Women in Cybersecurity Conference held in Vancouver, British Columbia, on September 12, 2019.
Today, IWCD is celebrated around the world by industry, governments, academia, and community-based organizations in over 50 countries and supported by hundreds of organizations worldwide.
The movement continues to grow each year, amplifying awareness, fostering inclusion, and inspiring future generations of women to lead, innovate, and shape the secure digital future of tomorrow.
Our Mission
International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD) was established by cybersecurity veteran Lisa Kearney, CEO of the Women CyberSecurity Society (WCS2), to address and act upon the gender gap in the industry.
The goals of IWCD are multifaceted and designed to drive comprehensive, meaningful change:
- Raise Awareness: To highlight the systemic and cultural issues impacting women's ability to be successful in the cybersecurity industry.
- Recognize & Celebrate: To honor and amplify the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women in the cybersecurity industry.
- Advocate & Advance: To champion gender diversity, equity, and inclusion, and drive meaningful change for a more inclusive and nonbiased industry.
- Educate for Digital Safety: To empower women and girls with the essential knowledge and skills for cyber safety, digital self-defense, and security against online harassment and technology-facilitated abuse.
- Achieve Official Recognition: To secure official national recognition of September 1st as International Women in Cyber Day by the Government of Canada and the United Nations.
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Our Vision
Our vision is a world where International Women in Cyber Day (IWCD) is formally recognized by the United Nations as the leading global platform advancing equity, inclusion, and empowerment in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies, in full alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Canada’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) policy.
We envision a future where the global cybersecurity and technology sectors demonstrate their commitment to gender equality through equal pay for equal work, equitable funding and opportunity, and women leading at every level of innovation, governance, and decision-making—including in the design, development, and ethical use of AI and next-generation technologies that shape our shared digital future.
IWCD strives for a world where every woman and girl is educated, empowered, and equipped with the knowledge and technology needed to participate safely and confidently in an increasingly AI-driven society. This vision is celebrated and amplified each year through the IWCD Global Awards, which honor excellence, innovation, and leadership among women advancing cybersecurity, AI, and digital inclusion worldwide.