Gender-transformative interventions in Cybersecurity programming

UK Government

Relevent Country: United Kingdom

The UK Government has announced CSSF call for bids 2022/23 for Gender-transformative interventions in Cybersecurity programming.

The Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) is a unique cross-government fund that tackles conflict, stability and security challenges overseas, which pose the greatest threat to UK national security.

Objectives

  • Improve gender equality/secure the rights of women, girls and marginalised groups
  • Make cybersecurity interventions more effective by adopting a gendered approach

It will seek to address or explore the prevailing power relations, gendered patterns and how marginalised communities are impacted differentially by discriminatory practices that may perpetuate cyber threats.

All projects should aim to work towards a cyberspace that reflects their values and influence the global environment to ensure a safe and beneficial digital future for all.

Priorities

The UK’s National Cyber Strategy sets out the UK’s priorities in cybersecurity, including to:

  • Improve the understanding of cyber risk to drive more effective action on cyber security and resilience
  • Shape global governance to promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace
  • Strengthen the structures, partnerships and networks necessary to support a whole-of-society approach to cyber
  • Strengthen the cyber security and resilience of international partners and increase collective action to disrupt and deter adversaries

Funding Information

  • Maximum budget limit: £400,000 (4 hundred thousand pounds sterling) per financial year
  • Projects will be funded initially between October 2022 to March 2023
  • Multiyear funding to March 2025 will be considered in exceptional cases, each project will be subject to annual break clauses in March each year
  • Successful implementers must receive project funding in GBP
  • Proposals should not be crafted to reach the budget ceiling, but to specifically meet the objectives in pursuit of demonstrable impact and value for money
  • The funding will be available as a mixture of Official Development Assistance and non-Official Development Assistance
  • Bids where possible should not exceed 30 pages
  • Bids must be in English

Sub Themes

The implementer may pilot interventions under the following suggested sub-themes at the intersection of gender and cybersecurity:

  • Research
  • Capacity building and systems strengthening
  • Women’s influence and participation

Competencies

The implementer will have:

  • Experience and familiarity of gender and cyber programming and strong working knowledge on the WPS agenda
  • Strong operational experience of working in the country or region in which the project is based
  • The ability to source appropriate expertise to support any capacity building and advocacy components, both in-country and if necessary, from outside
  • Project and budget management skills
  • Appropriate cyber security controls to protect participants, the organisation and U.K. funding
  • Robust approaches to risk management, conflict sensitivity, and safeguarding policies and implementation plans in place that ensure the protection of beneficiaries and to safeguard against sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH).

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cssf-call-for-bids-202223-gender-transformative-interventions-in-cybersecurity-programming