With women making up less than two per cent of cybersecurity leaders in North Macedonia, Women on Boards Adria (WOBA) and Women4Cyber North Macedonia have partnered to open new pathways for women to advance into decision-making roles in governance and cybersecurity.
The cooperation responds to clear structural challenges. Despite strong participation of women in public administration, they remain largely absent from cybersecurity leadership. A 2023 study found that women are often concentrated in administrative rather than technical positions, with few opportunities for advancement. Persistent gender stereotypes, limited access to STEM education, and a male-dominated workplace culture continue to limit progress.
“This partnership reflects WOBA’s mission to ensure women are represented where key decisions are made. By connecting the fields of governance and cybersecurity, we aim to build a stronger pipeline of women ready to lead on issues that are critical for national and regional resilience”, said Biljana Braithwaite, Chair of Women on Boards Adria.
The cooperation will include workshops, mentoring, and regional visibility campaigns to highlight women leaders in cybersecurity. Both organisations will also share research, best practices, and communication platforms to promote women’s advancement in technical and governance roles across the region.
“Women4Cyber works to increase the number of women with both the skills and confidence to succeed in cybersecurity. Partnering with WOBA allows us to extend that work into leadership, ensuring that technical expertise is matched with influence in governance and policy”, said Ljubica Pendaroska Krstevska, Founder and President of Women4Cyber North Macedonia.
This collaboration supports North Macedonia’s EU accession priorities, particularly the adoption of EU standards on gender equality and digital resilience. It complements ongoing national and international efforts to expand the country’s skilled cybersecurity workforce and make it more inclusive.
“For North Macedonia, strengthening women’s participation in cybersecurity is a question of equality, but also of competitiveness and security. This partnership helps ensure more women are part of the country’s digital development”, added Tanja Mihajlovska Dimitrievska, WOBA Lead for North Macedonia.
The partnership builds on WOBA’s regional mission to promote gender balance in corporate and institutional decision-making across the Adria region.
