A survey of security professionals in India has found 74% have experienced or witnessed gender-based discrimination at work, despite most organisations reporting formal inclusion measures.
The findings come from the Women in Security Survey (WISS) 2026, conducted by IIRIS Consulting in collaboration with the CII Centre of Women Leadership. The report was launched during the India Women Leadership & Growth Summit 2026 in New Delhi.
According to the survey, 92.7% of organisations reported having formal inclusion policies, flexible work arrangements or diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) frameworks. However, 74% of respondents said they had personally experienced or witnessed gender-based discrimination in a security workplace, and 84.5% said women remain underrepresented across security functions.
The report is based on responses from 730 security professionals. It concludes that while the sector has broadly accepted the need for greater gender diversity, implementation remains inconsistent and workplace experiences do not match stated policy intent.
Commenting on the launch, Sagarika Chakraborty, Chief Executive Officer, IIRIS Consulting, said, “What concerns us is that the conversation around inclusion has continued for years, yet the everyday experience of many women has not changed enough. Policies are important, but they cannot become the finish line. Real progress begins when organisations listen more closely, question what is not working and take responsibility for the outcomes. Women should not have to constantly prove that they belong in security. They must be given the trust, support and opportunities to lead, influence decisions and build long-term careers. The way forward is to move from good intent to consistent action, with leadership held accountable for creating change that women can actually experience.”
Support for increasing women’s participation was high among respondents, with 96.8% saying more opportunities should be created for women within security functions. The report also recorded high levels of reported policy adoption: 89.6% cited the presence of a formal DEI policy, 90.7% reported gender-neutral policy frameworks, 91.2% pointed to unconscious bias initiatives, and 92.7% cited flexible work arrangements.
Despite the reported policy uptake, respondents identified workplace culture as the largest barrier to women entering security careers. The survey found 39.7% cited stereotypes and male-dominated workplace cultures as the primary deterrent.
Commenting on the findings, Shivani Kumar, Executive Director, CII Centre of Women Leadership, said, “The findings of this report are a wake-up call. Despite years of discussion around inclusion and representation, significant gaps continue to persist. Policies alone cannot drive change unless they are supported by consistent implementation, regular review and clear accountability. Organisations must move beyond a compliance-led approach and build systems that evolve with workplace realities. The objective should not only be to increase women’s participation, but also to ensure that they have equal opportunities to lead, influence decisions and shape the future of their industries.”
Mentorship was identified as a leading intervention, with 45.2% of respondents nominating it as the most important step to improve women’s participation and advancement in security. The report also found support for a broader industry commitment, with 90.3% of respondents backing an industry-wide gender parity pledge.
Speaking at the summit, Garry Singh, President, IIRIS Consulting, said, “The security sector is undergoing a fundamental shift. Risk, resilience, trust and preparedness are now boardroom priorities. If the sector is to evolve meaningfully, inclusion has to become part of how organisations build capability, not just how they frame policy. WISS 2026 is an important step towards creating the evidence base needed for more accountable industry action.”
The WISS 2026 report follows previous editions released in 2022 and 2025. IIRIS Consulting said the 2026 edition examines whether awareness efforts have translated into measurable action, and calls for stronger mentorship frameworks, leadership pathways, industry-level commitments and workplace cultures that support women’s long-term careers in security.
You can read the full report here.
