About | Girl Security

Our Mission

Driving change in national security through learning, workforce training, and mentoring.

We’re building a national security future informed by the experiences, insights, and ideas of populations most adversely impacted by security threats, starting with girls and gender minorities. In doing so, we will elevate long-overlooked perspectives on which ideals and norms must define the future of national security and grow skillsets for an increasingly complex global security environment.

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What is National Security?

Historically, “national security” has been defined as defending a nation from primarily physical threats to its physical assets, including its borders, buildings and other infrastructure, people, and the economy, for example. National security has also prioritized projecting democratic ideals abroad.

For many, national security is often equated with the military and intelligence communities. But the national security sector is far more expansive and includes the entire federal government, state and local government, the private sector, academia, STEM, civil society, and more.

Across the spectrum of the national security workforce, women, people of color, and other marginalized populations have remained grossly underrepresented for over a century.

From cybersecurity to climate change, artificial intelligence to public health, the types of security challenges the United States and a global community will continue to confront in an increasingly interconnected, digitally-dependent world will challenge the outmoded norms, ideals, and power structures that guided the first century of modern national security thinking.

Why “Girl“? Gendered norms continue to impede progress in national security workforce development, strategy, and innovation. We believe that naming the gender-based norms that have pigeon-holed women into certain capacities within the security sector and continue to impede their opportunities to drive progress is a crucial underpinning to our mission. In addition, we believe that naming the gendered norms that continue to diminish and deprioritize the role of girls in society and security is also imperative to our mission. These norms impede progress for all.

The Problem

Transforming the foundation of national security requires diversifying the workforce and shifting outmoded norms, assumptions, and power structures.

Decisions made in the name of national security have shaped America, defined who wields power, and determined the world order. From policy directives that shape industry standards around cybersecurity, to executive orders that drive diversity, equity, and inclusion as a national security imperative, to wars and spending that shift the global economy, national security affects everyone.

For over a century, women have remained underrepresented across the national security employment sector, hindering their economic and impact potential in this consequential realm. Of the many national security pathways, women presently represent only 24 percent of the cybersecurity workforce; 17.8 percent of CIA agents; 14.4 percent of active duty military; 28 percent of the STEM/Security workforce; and 14 percent of International Relations professors.

Impediments to the aspirations girls and gender minorities and women’s advancement include: lack of visible role models, lack of access to national security learning and training, outmoded social norms around the role of women in security, and systemic bias and discrimination.