Please note, this event will run fully in-person. More information, including location, will be shared once you register. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. 

Join us for an afternoon of panel discussions and networking, bringing together members and stakeholders to showcase the work and impact women are having across the National Security, Policing and Defence sectors.  


We are only offering 1 ticket per organisation at this time

The afternoon will focus on anything from; the achievements of senior female leaders who are driving change from leadership positions to; what has been achieved, in terms of advancing leadership opportunities, professional development and where next as we look ahead to break down barriers and continue to accelerate women’s equality.  

In July 2018 Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) reported that the UK’s intelligence agencies were not gender balanced at senior levels and did not ‘fully reflect the ethnic make-up of modern Britain’, The most recent data released by the ISC in March 2015 showed 41% of MI5’s workforce were women, 35% of GCHQ's and 36% of the SIS's. Two years later, there was some, if small, growth: MI5 (42.2%), SIS (38.9%) and GCHQ, having the smallest increase, of 35.2% (in 1995 it was 28%). 

According to the Home Office, Workforce Open Data Table there were 43,762 female police officers in the 43 police forces on 31 March 2021, making up 32.4% of police officers in England and Wales, up slightly from 31.2% the last year. The number of female officers increased by 3,443 (8.5%) compared with a year earlier. Statista’s distribution of police ranks in England and Wales, highlights that the higher up in the police ranks, the share of females is lower, with around a quarter of police sergeants and inspectors being female. The highest rank of Chief Officer has a distribution of 68.7 percent male Chief Officers and 31.3 percent female Chief Officers. 

Female representation in the UK Regular Forces as at 1 April 2022 has increased by 0.3 percentage points compared with 1 April 2021 (11.0%).  Defence has set a Level of Ambition to achieve a 30% inflow of women to the Armed Forces by 2030. It is recognised that 30% is a very challenging level of ambition and one which has not yet been achieved by many of our NATO partners. In meeting this ambition, a Whole Force approach has been developed including tailored recruiting activities, women-focused marketing campaigns and making greater use of Servicewomen as recruiters. Defence, however, appreciates that recruitment alone is not enough and sees that a greater focus on retention, behaviour and inclusion continues to be vital. 


Structure

13.00hrs – 14.00hrs | Light lunch

14.00hrs – 14.45hrs | Welcome keynotes 

15.00hrs – 16.00hrs | Panel discussion + Q&A 

16.00hrs – 16.15hrs | Comfort break 

16.15hrs – 16.45hrs | Closing presentations 

16.45hrs – 18.00hrs | Networking & drinks 


Georgina Henley

Georgina Henley

Head of Justice and Emergency Services, techUK

Raya Tsolova

Programme Manager, National Security, techUK

Freddie MacSwiney

Programme Manager - Defence and Cyber, techUK

Jago Corry

Programme Assistant, Markets and International Trade, techUK