Microsoft, CPX reveal expansion of 'She Protects' initiative at GISEC 2026

Microsoft and CPX, a G42 company, today launched the second cohort of ‘She Protects’ at GISEC Global 2026, expanding the national initiative to 150 women. The initiative is designed to help them build the technical skills, professional credentials and industry experience needed to pursue careers in cybersecurity.

“The second cohort has 150 ladies, and the whole objective of this exercise, the key, the crux of the challenge was that cybersecurity is a very male-oriented field.” Hadi Anwar, CEO of CPX said, “We’ll change that, and we don't just want to talk about that and do things to help people change that narrative.”

‘She Protect’ initiative

The initiative is focused on empowering more women to build the skills and credentials needed to enter the field. The second cohort builds on the momentum of the inaugural program, which graduated 50 women in June 2026 following a six-month curriculum with Microsoft security certification training, CPX-led threat education, immersive cyber simulations and career-readiness support.

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, said:

“The UAE's cybersecurity leadership will be defined not only by the technologies we adopt, but by the people we empower. By encouraging more women to pursue careers in cybersecurity, we are broadening the talent base that will help protect our digital and AI-powered economy, strengthen national resilience and drive innovation for years to come.”

CPX said the program has already demonstrated strong outcomes in strengthening cybersecurity talent, with more than 10 graduates from the first cohort already successfully launching their careers through internships and full-time positions.

“The UAE's next phase of AI transformation will depend on having the cybersecurity talent to secure it. ‘She Protects’ is built around a simple principle: skills have the greatest impact when they lead to opportunity.” Amr Kamel, General Manager, Microsoft UAE, added.

The upcoming intake will welcome over 150 students from universities across the UAE, along with recent graduates with a specific interest in technology, AI and cyber defence, according to the official reports. It will run from November 2026 to the end of April 2027, with applications opening in September.

Will the initiative be open to UAE expats?

According to CPX CEO, the programme initially began with the Emirati women however, they have plans to expand it to wider horizon.“We want a global community because the bad guys come with a lot of diversity,” he said to Gulf News.

“Different nationalities, way of thinking, upbringing, cultures, and religions; we wanted something similar in our capability as well, so we want a diverse background, and hence not just one nationality, but multiple nationalities have taken part in in the cohort, and we'll do something similar in the next cohort as well,” he added.

Participants in the second cohort will undertake Microsoft’s SC-900 Security, Compliance and Identity Fundamentals certification, comprehensive cyber awareness and threat landscape training delivered by CPX, and immersive simulation-based cyber labs powered by official program technology partner, Cyberbit.