The recent Cybersecurity Capacity Building Workshop, organized by SheTrades Mauritius Hub in collaboration with the Indian Business Council on 17th July 2025, served as a key platform for empowering women entrepreneurs with the essential tools and knowledge to safeguard their businesses in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.
In her welcome remarks Mrs. Nirmala Jeetah, Director of Bio Industry & Project Development and ITC SheTrades Mauritius Hub, emphasized that as the business landscape becomes increasingly digitally driven, the risks associated with cyber threats have grown exponentially. “Today, cybersecurity is not just a technical concern left to IT departments,” she noted. “It is a core business priority that directly impacts your brand’s reputation, customer trust, and overall business continuity.”
She pointed out that women-led SMEs, are often at greater risk due to limited access to specialized cybersecurity knowledge, constrained financial resources, and low awareness of evolving cyber threats. However, she reassured participants that cybersecurity preparedness is achievable even with basic, affordable practices that would be depicted during the workshop. She further reaffirmed the commitment of SheTrades Mauritius Hub to continue providing capacity-building programmes, knowledge-sharing platforms, and networking opportunities aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs and helping them build resilient and future-ready businesses.
Mr. Seshadri emphasized: “In today’s digital landscape, the difference between businesses that thrive and those that merely survive lies in their ability to embrace digital transformation and adopt proactive cybersecurity measures.” He also highlighted the Indian Business Council’s commitment to promoting inclusive economic participation, particularly through ongoing collaborations with the SheTrades Mauritius Hub.
The workshop featured an interactive and dynamic session facilitated by Mrs. Aufia Yacoob, a seasoned executive and a celebrated leader with over 20 years of experience across banking, financial services, technology, and corporate leadership. Mrs. Yacoob has been widely acclaimed for her role in advancing women’s leadership in Africa and beyond.
In her facilitation, Mrs. Yacoob delivered a practical and engaging session, focusing on:
- Why cybersecurity is a non-negotiable business priority, especially for SMEs and women entrepreneurs
- Emerging IT trends and digital risks that entrepreneurs need to monitor
- Case studies of common cyber threats, including phishing scams, ransomware attacks, and social engineering fraud
- Simple, cost-effective cybersecurity strategies that any business can implement, regardless of size
She emphasized the importance of building a “human firewall” by raising cybersecurity awareness within teams and organizations, training employees to recognize cyber threats, and establishing basic policies and protocols to minimize risks.
Mrs. Yacoob also highlighted the critical role of women in shaping a secure digital economy, encouraging more female participation in tech fields and promoting women-led businesses to embrace digital security as a key component of growth and competitiveness.
As part of SheTrades’ Mauritius commitment to continuous learning and business empowerment, the next capacity-building workshop will focus on one of the most transformative topics of our time — Artificial Intelligence (AI). Women entrepreneurs interested to benefit from our capacity building programmes are encouraged to register on the SheTrades website via the link below:
