APLN Executive Director Shatabhisha Shetty is delighted to join the esteemed Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy (GCNP), a network that brings together leaders of organisations working in nuclear policy who are committed to breaking down gender barriers and making gender equity a working reality in their spheres of influence. As the latest Gender Champion from the Asia-Pacific, and on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN), she is proud to announce APLN’s commitment to gender diversity, equality, and inclusion in nuclear policy.

APLN strives to not only address nuclear weapons risks but also challenge structural and systemic biases in traditional security debates across our region and the wider nuclear community. We recognize that diversity, equality, and inclusion are essential in ensuring comprehensive and effective policy outcomes.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Shatabhisha Shetty, we commit to the following pledges:

1. Actively enhance diversity within the Network by recruiting and engaging more women and individuals from underrepresented countries in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming to bring the membership gender ratio to at least 40/60 by the end of 2024, and 50/50 by the end of 2025. This will be accomplished through specific recruitment strategies, increased opportunities for involvement and leadership roles, and monitoring progress towards diversity goals.
2. Engage and foster the next generation of experts and leaders in the field of nuclear policy. This will be achieved by creating mentorship programs, providing more opportunities for early-career experts to participate in events and research projects, and building partnerships with emerging leader initiatives.
3. Improve the gender balance in our research commissioning practices and publication record, aiming to have women as 45% of our authors every year by the end of 2023, and 50% by the end of 2024. This will ensure that a greater proportion of women are invited to contribute as authors, reviewers, and editors. We will establish and adhere to targets for gender balance in our research publications, and conduct regular reviews to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement. By doing so, we hope to promote greater gender diversity and inclusion in the nuclear policy community, and inject fresh ideas into trite policy debates.

By joining the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy network, we reaffirm our commitment to actively promoting gender equality and creating a more inclusive and diverse nuclear policy landscape.