Celebrating 3 decades of commitment to gender equality and diversity in the nuclear sector

As the world experiences uncertainties and complex crises of all types – climatic, social, environmental and geopolitical-, it is crucial to highlight the key contributions of women in various aspects of radiation and nuclear applications. Women in nuclear energy across generations play an essential and innovative role in addressing global perspectives on nuclear energy, disarmament, arms control, health care, research, policy and academia, among others, efforts are being made to promote gender equality in the nuclear industry, recognising the value of diverse and inclusive approaches. In this context, WiN Global, in collaboration with WiN Africa and WiN Egypt, co- organized its 30th Annual Conference on 12-17 November, in Aswan, under the theme “Women for the Sustainable Development of Nuclear and Radiation Applications”. Hosted by the above-mentioned chapters and under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Moustafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt,  this conference was a milestone for our organization as it celebrated three decades of WiN Global excellence and marked the inaugural Annual Meeting of WiN Africa- one of our most vibrant regional chapters- which was held in cooperation with the IAEA and AFRA, on 14-15 November. 

129 multi-talented, knowledgeable and experienced women passionate about sharing their experiences and shaping policy and practice in the nuclear field came from 38 countries around the world, within which we count 19 African countries, with 53 young ladies funded by the IAEA to have the opportunity to attend and contribute. 

The event kicked off with a visit to the Aswan High Dam followed by the WiN Global Executive & Board meeting. The following day we had the prestigious Opening Ceremony, chaired by WiN Global Vice-President Melina Belinco and attended by Major General Ashraf Attia, Governor of Aswan; Ms Dominique Mouillot, WiN Global President; Prof. Shaukat Abdul Razak, Head of Division for Africa, Department of Technical Cooperation, International Atomic Energy Agency; Prof. Amr El Hag Ali, Chairman of the Board, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority; all welcomed by the President of WiN Africa and WiN Egypt, Prof. Soheir Korraa.

The opening speech of WiN Global President Dominique Mouillot deserves a special note: She acknowledged the remarkable journey of Women in Nuclear Global, especially as we commemorate its 30th anniversary:  “I would like to highlight the key contributions of the founding mother of WiN Global, Irene Aegerter, who still to this day acts as an advisor and dedicates time and resources to this global society. Over the last three decades, WiN has been a beacon of empowerment, forging a path for women in the nuclear industry, breaking barriers, and championing diversity and inclusion. It’s with great pride that we stand here, reflecting on the accomplishments that have marked our journey, and envisioning the road ahead”. Read the complete opening remarks here.  After the warm and inspiring speeches and group photos, a special gift was offered by the WiN Africa community to the Director, Prof. Shaukat Abdul Razak.

The 30th WiN Global Annual Conference was marked by the General Assembly (GA) and the Chapters’  Reports, three oral sessions, eight panel sessions, poster exhibitions, the 1st WiN Africa Annual Meeting, a joint NEA-WiN Global International Mentoring Session, a cultural tour, the WiN Global Awards Ceremony and the Flag Passing Ceremony. The GA included a dynamic activity in order to promote an open discussion/first brainstorming to collectively build WiN Global’s future, facilitated by WiN Global Vice-President Melina Belinco. Our organization’s members, who participated both in-person and virtually, were actively engaged in  this session and made invaluable contributions to reflect about our past work as well as about the challenges for our next decades.

In addition, the panel entitled “A network of experts: WiN Global Groups of Expertise” must be highlighted, as it provided a unique opportunity to learn the main goals and achievements of each group as well as their relevance for boosting partnerships and networking in the nuclear field and beyond, while raising awareness about crucial platforms to enhance their impact and sustainability, such as the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) which was represented by Ms Aleshia Duncan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Nuclear Energy Policy and Cooperation, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. DOE, who delivered a unique, compelling keynote speech.

WiN Global Young Generation (WiN YG) was well represented by Raquel Heredia, President of WiN Mexico, who presented WiN Mexico’s plan for the 31st WiN Global Annual Conference to be held in that country, in October 2024; Delfina Di Lorenzo, President of WiN Argentina, who presented WiN Argentina’s report, was a speaker in the panel session ‘Need for Inclusiveness in Nuclear’ and the secretary during the open discussion of the GA; Stephanie Neira, Executive Member of WiN Chile and WiN YG Communication Lead, who presented the WiN Chile and WiN YG report and moderated the panel session ‘Women in Nuclear Across Generations’ where Adeline Yuego, WiN YG Partnerships & Grants Group Lead, was a speaker. 

The conference brought together professionals, experts, researchers, and enthusiasts from the fields of nuclear energy, radiation, and related technologies. With a history spanning three decades, this conference served as a unique platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among individuals who share a common interest in these critical areas.

Special acknowledgement: A huge thanks to Adeline Yuego for her invaluable contribution to this report!

Promotional video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ3GbIcD20A 

Conference material (programme, chapter report, photos, presentations, recorded sessions) available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S88Yz-OKK8Nas7nmRRWbqkAl-E_eNcvF?usp=sharing