Women in the nuclear industry: a vector of development

1. Establishment of a professional female industry community and business cooperation in the nuclear industry for the implementation of socially useful goals for the benefit of society and development of the nuclear industry in Russia.
2. Creation of tools to promote women's professional development and wide involvement of the younger generation in order to increase the share of women working in the nuclear sector.
3. Popularization of science and technology professions among women and promoting the prestige of women's professions in the nuclear industry in the context of sustainable development goals.
4. Development of international cooperation among women in the field of peaceful utilization of nuclear energy.

Target audience: women specialists in the field of atomic energy utilization and female residents of territories where atomic industry enterprises are located in Russia.

The dynamic development of the global nuclear industry and the new generation of nuclear technologies, in the context of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, has stimulated the need for highly skilled professionals and the greater involvement of women in the industry. 

According to the IAEA, women in the nuclear sector around the world are still underrepresented, making up only 22.4% of the sector. There are incomparably fewer women who reach major leadership positions. The "glass ceiling" for the "weak" sex is a topic relevant to all high-tech industries.

In 2018, the proportional make-up of the nuclear industry organizations in Russia is 34% women and 66% men. Women occupy about 30 per cent of sectoral management positions.

In Russia, women make up a significant proportion of highly qualified scientific personnel. At the same time, women’s scientific and intellectual potential is not fully utilized in many branches of the industrial sector. 

Women are not sufficiently integrated into the labour market associated with the new technological pattern. This is due, among other things, to the lack of professional realization of women, sectoral segregation, restrictions on types of work, etc..

Today, the problems of training professional staff in the nuclear power industry are extremely acute in all countries, and increasing the proportion of women is one of the ways to solve this problem. 

There is a trend around the world for greater involvement of women in the nuclear industry, with many countries strategically setting a target of 40-50% for women. This trend is positive for the development of the industry: professionally educated, active, socially active women are a valuable capital and a powerful resource for the development of nuclear energy.

Objectives:

• Organization of horizontal interaction and effective communication between women specialists from different regions of Russia in order to develop a high level of initiative and opportunities for self-realization, increased involvement.
• Increasing the level of knowledge and professional development through the system of professional training, including remote mode. Organization of lecture sessions, workshops, seminars and round tables on the topic of nuclear technology development.
• Unlocking the resource potential of women by conducting workshops on personal development.
• Supporting women's project initiatives on various topics, including social entrepreneurship.
• Implementation of mentoring programs for the younger generation, development of the mentoring system.
• Joint agenda with foreign industry and scientific community. Holding of international seminars and meetings on sustainable development of nuclear energy with Russian and foreign speakers.

Project partners (incl. prospective):

• the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom;
• Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation;
• The Federal Medical-Biological Agency;
• Promsvyazbank;
• Foundation for the Support and Development of Women's Initiatives Association of Women in the Atomic Industry;
• Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).