"Security is too important to
be left just to men"

It is time to get rid of the stereotype that banning nuclear weapons tests and the verification needed to support it, is a man's world, Tibor Tóth, CTBTO Executive Secretary, said in a video message today to mark the 100 year anniversary of International Women's Day. Tóth spoke of the importance of gender equality in the workplace and assessed the situation at the CTBTO where he sits at the helm. Approximately one in three professional staff at the CTBTO is female.  Women outnumber men in support positions, holding just over 60% of the posts known as General Service. The figures are on par with the composition of United Nations staff that reflect women being 'thin at the top'. Seven of the 37 CTBTO senior management staff were female as of February 2011.

“We have to do more at the level of my deputies, the directors and at the section chief level,” Tóth said.  Attracting women to scientific and technical jobs is also a particular challenge. Only 10% of the applicants for scientific and technical posts were women, he said.  “We will have to improve the conditions which we provide, as well as boost our outreach efforts and attract more women to our training activities, workshops and scientific events,” the Executive Secretary said. “We have to work together so that gender balance and gender equality are the norms not the exception.  Brick by brick we are laying the foundations for a world which is more secure and more just as a result of greater gender balance and equality. Security is too important to be left just to men,” Tóth said. The message was played at a ceremony in Vienna International Centre (VIC) rotunda on 8 March as part of the global day of celebrations of the scientific, economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Watch Video Statement by IAEA's Director General Yukiya Amano (Statements made by other organizations during the International Women's Day ceremony at the VIC will be posted once they are available).