Following an extensive period of research and consultation supported by the governments of Canada and Norway, WINS has published a Special Report on Gender and Nuclear Security.
This report examines the challenges and opportunities that organisations face when seeking to achieve a more diverse and inclusive nuclear security sector. In particular, it focuses on gender parity as a key contributor to an effective nuclear security workforce.
Key Challenges
The study concludes that women who wish to enter and remain in the nuclear security workforce face several key challenges, including:
- The lack of female role models in the profession
- The under-representation of women at senior levels within the profession
- Unequal access to training and professional development
- Organisational norms that inhibit the recruitment, promotion and retention of women, including lack of access to formal networks and mentors and work/life balance
Key Opportunities
The report also identifies key opportunities to address these challenges, including the implementation of organisational policies and action plans that address the main barriers to greater inclusion of women and provide equal access to:
- Mentors and sponsors
- Training and professional development
- Management and leadership opportunities
- Transparency in hiring, retention and promotion practices
- An environment that is free of harassment and bullying
What WINS Is Doing
WINS is taking specific actions to address these challenges within its own programmes. Examples include providing dedicated scholarships for women to increase their professional profile by becoming certified nuclear security professionals; highlighting and inviting female subject matter experts to WINS workshops and events; increasing the participation of women in WINS workshops and events; and highlighting the full range of roles and competency profiles that reflect the diversity of the sector.
What You Can Do
You can contribute by supporting initiatives that raise awareness of the importance of gender parity in nuclear security; encouraging senior leaders and managers to champion diversity in nuclear security; identifying female role models; supporting female leaders in the sector; insisting on gender diversity on panels, meetings, workshops and conferences; and promoting nuclear security as a career of choice for women.
Click here to read the full report
#GenderParityWINS
