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27.09.2024 / Video
The main theme of this Forum – “Women for Building Trust and Global Cooperation” – is close to me not only as a woman in the nuclear industry, but also as the head of an organization – the World Nuclear Association, which works hard to unite the industry.
Our future depends not only on technological advances, but also on the people at the helm. Today, women make up approximately 20% of all nuclear professionals worldwide, highlighting the need to improve diversity and inclusion in our field.
Attracting more women is not just a question of fairness; it is a strategic imperative. Diverse workforces bring different perspectives to the table, which improves decision-making, drives innovation, and makes organizations more resilient and adaptable. In an industry where safety, precision, and long-term thinking are paramount, the value of such diverse perspectives cannot be overstated.
Moreover, from a purely pragmatic point of view, if we are truly going to triple the world's nuclear power capacity by 2050, our industry will need all the talent we can find. We simply cannot afford not to use the knowledge, experience and skills of half the world's population.
The World Nuclear Association recognises the importance of gender diversity and is actively working to increase the number of women involved in the nuclear industry.
Earlier this year, on International Women's Day, the World Nuclear Association signed an agreement with the IAEA to support the professional development of women and partner to identify relevant industry internship opportunities for women participating in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Lise Meitner Fellowship programmes.
In addition, we systematically promote STEM education across a variety of venues, featuring women as role models so that girls around the world can see themselves as active agents of change in the industry and within their communities.
Participation in such initiatives is an integral part of our philosophy of promoting the growth of the nuclear industry by informing, connecting, representing and influencing key players in the value chain. Furthermore, the Association uses the power of our leadership development organization, the World Nuclear University, to actively work to develop a global nuclear leadership culture that is fundamentally diverse and inclusive. In this way, we create leaders who will lead us to the transformation we desire.
By creating a supportive community and removing barriers to entry, World Nuclear Association helps make the nuclear industry more inclusive.
The nuclear industry is at a critical juncture, accelerating its efforts to increase – indeed, triple – global nuclear capacity in the coming decades. To support this growth, we need to expand our workforce, including further increasing the number of women in the nuclear industry. Among the many recommendations to accelerate this process, I would like to highlight the following:
Early Engagement: Outreach and educational programs that feature female nuclear role models that inspire young women and demystify nuclear science, making it an attractive and accessible career option.
Nuclear industry organisations should take measures to support families and provide flexible working arrangements to enable both parents to remain the primary carers for their children who might otherwise leave the industry due to a lack of support measures.
It is necessary to provide opportunities not only for women to be employed in the industry, but also for their career advancement and participation in the development of the industry in technical and administrative management positions.
Cross-border partnerships and international forums such as this one play a vital role in sharing good practices and ensuring gender diversity in the global nuclear industry.
As we gather here, we must also acknowledge the broader context of our work. Collaboration is vital for the industry to thrive. And that means being open and actively engaging diverse people in the industry and recognising their contributions. Women have been active in this industry since its inception, and our challenge today is to ensure that all women can continue to participate. This industry needs women’s voices, vision and leadership. By increasing women’s participation in the nuclear industry, we can ensure that it remains innovative, safe and able to sustainably meet the world’s energy needs. So let’s continue to work together to build a future where women’s contributions are recognised, valued and celebrated – not just in nuclear, but in all industries.
Thank you for your attention.
