National security is one of the largest fields of employment in the United States and encompasses a range of fields across government, industry, academia, and the social sector -- from cybersecurity and AI, to policy and law, to intelligence and the military. It is also the most powerful political realm responsible for the biggest defense budget in the world. Decisions made in the name of national security have shaped America and determined the world order. From policy directives that shape industry standards and best practices around cybersecurity, to executive orders that drive diversity, equity, and inclusion as a national security imperative, to wars and spending that shifts the global economy, national security affects everyone. Yet women have remained grossly under-represented for decades, hindering their economic potential and impeding their leadership in this consequential field.

the problem

According to the recent studies, for example, women make up less than 40 percent of the U.S. State Department's leadership and 26 percent at the Pentagon.* In the private sector, women comprise 24 percent of the cybersecurity workforce and 21 percent of the supply chain management workforce. At the same time, girls are on the front lines of pressing national security challenges with gendered impacts, including disinformation, artificial intelligence, and climate change, and national security pathways remain inaccessible to girls, particularly those from under-resourced communities.

*New America Foundation

our mission

Girl Security is preparing girls, women, and gender minorities for national security through equity-informed learning, transitional high school-to-college training, and relationship-based mentoring. By empowering girls to play a role in security -- where a more secure nation is a more prosperous nation -- girls can fulfill their economic potential and forge an understanding of national security shaped by their lived experiences. Girl Security works across the United States to ensure the most historically underrepresented and underserved populations of girls have access to financially-supported, cutting-edge programming to prepare them for a future workforce shaped by security challenges that require their leadership.

our model

Securing

with learning

Through specialized programming designed with women national security experts, child and adolescent mental health professionals, and girls, Girl Security equips participants with key concepts, frameworks, and insights to provide a strong foundational understanding of the national security field, while also empowering them to challenge the existing norms that have long-defined the national security field.

Empowering

with training & leadership

National security has many pathways, including cyber, law, policy, business, advocacy, and STEM. As a complement to Girl Security’s learning modules, participants complete specially-curated skill-building sessions on cutting-edge national security competencies, including ethical decisionmaking, strategy, and innovation. Additionally, Girl Security creates unique opportunities for participants to lead a range of national security projects from inception to completion that can bolster their confidence, network, and professional advancement opportunities.

Advancing

with Placement

Girl Security provides participants interested in national security careers with placement in a phased mentorship network that pairs them with a national security mentor one step ahead of them in their academic and/or professional path. Girl Security is driving systemic change by building a multi-generational ecosystem of girls and women in national security that provides community, resources, support, and practical guidance. Become a mentee.

girl essays

social media and misinfo amid covid-19

Nina, a high schooler, writes her first essay, “Social Media and Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic” exploring how misinformation on social media has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read her essay here!

a young American on what ails america

Olivia, a Girl Security Scholar and 17 year-old high school senior, diagnoses what ails America and how America can “get back on track.” Her words are sure to inspire her generation and adults alike. Read her essay here.

patriotism is not partisan

Meaghan Burnes, GS Mentee and Jr. Board Member, writes about social media backlash against the American flag and the importance of patriotism, not partisanship, to healing America. Read her essay here.

a critical perspective: A Letter to Myself

Dee Neely, the first Black person from the U.S. Secret Service to attend the Naval Postgraduate School, on a letter to younger self.

sandra sidi, letter to my younger self

I was fifteen years old when the 9/11 attacks hit. My mother worked in the building next to the Pentagon and I lived a few miles away. As my teachers whispered in the hall, my classmates wondered if their parents—many of whom worked in the building—were okay.

avery, 17, MA

I can remember distinctly the day of the Boston Marathon bombing. I was on April vacation in 5th grade, sitting in a restaurant booth in Pembroke, Massachusetts.

Ally, 15, IL

Being born in a post 9/11 world, my view of national security has been that it is how we are to defend our country from external attacks. National security entails defense…