Addressing gender balance in nuclear safeguards

Celebrating the diverse careers of women in nuclear safeguards while exploring ways to advance gender balance was among the topics discussed at the Symposium on International Safeguards in Vienna last week.

At two panel discussions on the topic of improving gender balance in nuclear safeguards, leading women from a range of professions provided insights into their work and shared their personal stories. The panels, which included lawyers, diplomats, engineers, scientists, policy specialists and regulators, also discussed strategies for success and made recommendations for young women looking at careers in safeguards.

Speakers highlighted the broad range of career options in nuclear safeguards, with one panel focusing on policy, law and regulatory careers in safeguards, and the other on science, technology, engineering, and math.

Panelists discussed the challenges that exist for women within the nuclear sector and acknowledged the importance of flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies already in place at, among others, the IAEA. Audience polling during the session validated these approaches.

The IAEA is committed to improving women’s representation throughout the organization, including through a range of targeted outreach and awareness-raising activities. As of December 31, 2017, the proportion of women in the professional and higher categories at the IAEA reached 29%, compared with 22% ten years earlier. However, in the Department of Safeguards, women make up only 22% of regular staff in the professional and higher categories, reflecting the under-representation of women in the nuclear sector overall.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano has stated that he would like to achieve gender parity at the most senior level by 2021.

Original source: IAEA
Published on 14 November 2018