In a meeting with IAEA Director General Grossi, Malta’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna, H.E Natasha Meli Daudey, highlighted Malta’s priority to increase the participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The €40,000 financial contribution to the IAEA’s own Marie-Sklodowska Curie Fellowship Programme will ensure that this happens also within the nuclear field. The Programme itself has already allowed 210 women from 93 countries with scholarships at Master’s level to build the capacity needed in areas such as nuclear energy, other nuclear applications, nuclear safety and nuclear security, as well as non‑proliferation. Some also go on to intern at one of the Member State laboratories around the world, thanks to the Programme, or continue to PhD studies or nuclear-related careers.

Malta’s contribution is also aimed at increasing the rate of women and girls in this sector from the Mediterranean region, a region that would benefit greatly from a qualified, gender-balanced workforce that tackles common challenges such as climate change and food insecurity.

On his part, Director General Grossi welcomed Malta’s generous contribution, saying that this will help the Programme to ensure that the nuclear field mirrors the real world by assisting hundreds of female students as post-graduate level to pursue a career in the area.