In the words of Cholpon Shabdyraeva: "Being a cybersecurity coach is important to me because I want to protect the rural women and youth I work with from digital threats"
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Cholpon Shabdyraeva is a business consultant, professional ICF coach, mentor, social entrepreneur and mother of three kids from the Kyrgyz Republic. During the pandemic Cholpon opened her own business, focusing on the education of children and women in the IT field. This year Cholpon participated in the first training for cyber safety trainers "CyberSafe for Women" within the framework of the project "Security for Central Asian women in the digital environment" supported by the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence and UN Women Kazakhstan. Cholpon was not only one of the first to receive training for trainers but also the first to conduct her own cybersecurity trainings, becoming one of the 100+ trainers who received the "CyberSafe for Women" certification.
"Our company specializes in teaching women and youth in rural areas digital technologies, writing grant projects using neural networks, and obtaining online documentation in their native language. I have been working in this field for more than 9 years and during this time I have trained 2,000 women online, many of whom have become successful entrepreneurs.
I participated in the “CyberSafe for Women ” training organized by Technowomen with the support of UN Women Kazakhstan and the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence, where I received a lot of useful information for personal development and to increase the digital security of women and youth in rural areas. For example, how to protect personal data on the Internet, and how to recognize and prevent various cyber threats such as phishing, hacker attacks, and online fraud. Participation in the training was very important for me for several reasons. Firstly, my job is to train rural women and youth in digital technology and writing grant projects, and security in the digital space is a key aspect of this activity. Understanding how to protect yourself and your data is especially important for those who are just starting to master digital technologies. Secondly, the training has given me valuable knowledge that I can pass on to my students, helping them avoid potential threats and risks associated with cybercrimes. This is especially important for women and youth in rural areas, who are often less aware of such risks and may be more vulnerable. I conduct trainings in the Kyrgyz language so that useful information is available to each training participant."
"Being a cybersecurity coach is important to me because I want to protect the rural women and youth I work with from digital threats. This expands their ability to safely use technology for business and education. For me personally, this contributes to professional growth and allows me to remain relevant in modern technologies. By teaching cybersecurity, I can prevent cybercrimes and increase my credibility as a consultant and coach.
When I was a trainee the most difficult part was mastering the technical aspects of cybersecurity, especially those related to complex methods of protection and threat analysis. When I became a trainer, the most difficult thing was to convey this technical knowledge to the participants in a simple and understandable form, especially given the different levels of experience of the listeners. The most surprising thing for me was the realization of how little people are aware of cyber threats, and how simple measures can significantly increase their security. This pushed me to share this knowledge and help others be more secure in the digital world. It is important today to train women in digital skills and data protection methods, organize educational events, develop information materials, and maintain access to cybersecurity consultations".
The "Security for Central Asian Women in the Digital Environment" project was launched in March 2024 and aims to raise awareness of women in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan about trends in the digital world, digital security, and digital hygiene, as well as to teach methods of preventing online violence and the use of tools to protect against cyber threats. The project is implemented by the non-profit organization «Technowomen» (Kazakhstan) with the support of the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence and UN Women Kazakhstan.
The Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence is a unique platform for regional cooperation, created with the support of UN Women Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for interaction and experience exchange between civil community, government agencies, and all stakeholders in Central Asia. The Alliance combines resources and efforts to create zero tolerance for discrimination and gender-based violence in the region, strengthens the voices of civil society organizations, and participates in the implementation of programs and projects to combat gender-based violence. Learn more here.