Introduction

The Department of Minerals and Energy, recognising the need to mobilise and support the involvement of women in the various fields of nuclear technology, safety and non-proliferation organised a workshop on Women in Nuclear. The workshop was held on 12 November 2001 in Cape Town and in the margins of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Public Information Seminar.

The workshop established an Interim Steering Committee and among other things, mandated it to prepare for the launch of a South African Chapter of Women in Nuclear (WIN). Women in Nuclear South Africa (WINSA) are the culmination of that process.

Our vision is to be the leading organisation promoting the participation of women in South Africa in the various nuclear related fields and supporting them to realise their full potential in those fields. And our mission is to promote meaningful participation of women in the fields of nuclear technology, safety and non-proliferation by:

• Creating a national forum and network for women in these fields enabling them to meet regularly to exchange ideas and experience towards advancing the role of women in respective nuclear-related fields;
• Promoting broad-based understanding of the fields of nuclear technology, safety and non-proliferation through targeted interventions, including public information programmes; and
• Interaction with all relevant stakeholders to foster an environment conducive to advancing the empowerment of women in the relevant fields.

Strategic objectives

WINSA aims to achieve its vision and mission through the objectives below, to:

• Identify opportunities for human resource development and training and target women and the girl child, particularly from previously disadvantaged groups, for participation in such opportunities;
• Interface with Government, and organs of state, industry role-players, and institutions of learning to advance human resource development;
• Facilitate the acquisition of research information necessary for planning appropriate measures to realise the vision and mission of WINSA;
• Maintain a database of all women in the fields of nuclear technology, safety and non-proliferation;
• Associate with the worldwide association of Women in Nuclear and contribute to public information through participation in global WIN activities; and
• Establish cooperative relationships and liaison as well as mechanisms and techniques by sharing information and materials with organisations whose objectives complement those of WINSA.

Working committee

Composition: WINSA Working Committee shall consist of representatives from the nuclear sector (DOH, NNR, PBMR and Eskom), nuclear medicine and academics. Two members will represent each institution.

Elections: Each institution shall send its nominees as representatives to the biannual conference, which shall elect the executive committee. Term of office: Members of the WINSA Working Committee shall hold office for two years and shall be eligible for re-election for second term only.

The WINSA Working Committee shall meet at any time to:

• Receive reports from any task team or committee;
• Review progress on mandates;
• Prepare for national or international conferences/meetings;
• Consider any correspondence, or request from any organ or organisation;
• Appoint a task team to carry out specific tasks; and
• Any other matter that might arise as urgent that might need the attention of the Working Committee.

The WINSA Working Committee was elected by members at the WINSA launch Workshop in Kopanong. Committee members were selected from various institutions in the nuclear sector:

• National Nuclear Regulator (NNR)
• South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa)
• Eskom's Koeberg Nuclear Power Station
• MEDUNSA (The Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA) and the University of the North have merged into the University of Limpopo)
• Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR); and
• The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME).

The WINSA secretariat is based at the DME.

General meetings and briefings

General meetings and briefings shall be held as and when the Working Committee deems it necessary except that an annual meeting must be held to brief members.

Finance

Women in nuclear South Africa shall have the right to raise funds, in the form of sponsorship and donations for its own administration. The bulk of its funding shall be voluntary contributions from participatory organisations including DME.

Membership

WINSA shall be open to women who are associated with nuclear technology, safety, non-proliferation, and academics in the nuclear field. Associate membership may be afforded to any organisation with similar objectives to those of WINSA. The WINSA Working Committee may consider a written application. The WINSA Working Committee may bestow honorary membership on any person who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and achievement in the fields of nuclear technology and related fields.
Would you like to join WINSA? Download our membership application form [PDF: 95KB]

Functions and duties

• Create a National forum and network for women in the nuclear technology and related fields to meet regularly and exchange information, ideas and experiences towards the empowerment of women in nuclear related fields;
• Promote broad-based understanding of the various nuclear related fields;
• Facilitate interaction amongst members and stakeholders to foster an environment conductive to advancement of women empowerment in the nuclear and related fields;
• Commission studies into specific fields/projects/areas; and
• Coordinate all activities of WINSA.

Secretariat

The secretariat shall be located within the Department of Minerals and Energy in Pretoria to necessitate easy consultation and interaction amongst stakeholders. The DME provides the secretariat, which coordinates the daily activities of WINSA.