Launch of the 2024 Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme

On 18 September 2024, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) and the International Affairs Institute (IAI), as part of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative (YWNGI), launched the 4^th edition of Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (YWNPD) Mentorship Programme. The Mentorship Programme, established in 2021 and organised in the framework of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), pairs 20 young women (mentees), chosen through a highly competitive selection process, with well-established experts in the field (mentors). Mentors and mentees engage in a mentoring relationship that envisions, among other things, regular video or in-person meetings. Mentees are also offered an opportunity to attend conferences, seminars, social events, and other activities, to benefit from networking and career development opportunities. VCDNP Executive Director Elena K. Sokova delivering welcome remarks The launch event was opened by the VCDNP Executive Director Elena K. Sokova. Two former mentees, Veerle Moyson and Lara Maria Guedes, and one continuing mentor, Renata H. Dalaqua, shared their personal experiences of participating in previous editions of the programme. Renata H. Dalaqua, Programme Lead for Gender & Disarmament at UNIDIR, sharing her experience as a mentor After a round of introductions, VCDNP Senior Research Associate Federica Dall’Arche and Paola Tessari, Senior Researcher at IAI, offered an overview of the programme, discussing expectations and opportunities for mentors and mentees as well as upcoming activities, including the EUNPDC Annual Conference in Brussels. Karolina Proprentner, Office and Events Manager at the VCDNP, introduced a social media spotlight campaign, which will feature mentors and mentees of the new cohort and present their backgrounds and interests to a wider audience in the non-proliferation and disarmament field. The VCDNP and IAI look forward to working with this cohort of bright and motivated mentees and thank returning and new mentors for generously volunteering their time and expertise to the 2024 edition of the programme. The Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (YWNPD) Mentorship Programme is made possible thanks to the generous financial support of the European Union.  

The thirteenth consultative meeting of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium was a research, reflection, and exchange event with two distinct parts. The first part of our meeting was devoted to the impact of major current factors in the evolution of non-proliferation and disarmament issues: Russia's aggressive foreign policy, emerging and disruptive technologies, the assertion of Chinese power, and the multidimensional crisis affecting the Middle East region. The implementation and universalisation of the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines will also be addressed. The second part looked at general trends and specific updates: the global movement of arms transfers, the fight against diversion (technical and political tools, and the role of Industry), and the latest issues in the use of artificial intelligence in military matters. As in previous years, theoretical, institutional, political, and industrial approaches were combined to provide the most useful responses to the new security challenges. To make our sessions as interactive as possible, the Mentimeter tool was used in a very integrated way for each of the sessions.

Seven interviews were conducted on the margins of the thirteenth Consultative Meeting.

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Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme – 3rd Edition Final Meeting

The VCDNP and IAI convened the final meeting of the third edition of their Mentorship Programme for young women in non-proliferation and disarmament.

On 10 May 2024, the VCDNP and the International Affairs Institute (IAI) organised the final meeting of the third edition of the Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme. This year, the programme paired 22 driven young women with 22 established experts in the field. These pairs engaged in a mentoring relationship that included regular videoconferencing sessions, among other activities. The programme also gave participants the opportunity to attend relevant conferences and outreach events on non-proliferation, disarmament, arms control, and related topics, including the EUNPDC Annual Conference and Next Generation Workshop. The Mentorship Programme has also provided networking and career development opportunities through seminars, social events, and other activities. The Mentorship Programme is part of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative under the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium.

  “The mentorship programme definitely is a unique opportunity for young female professionals or students to gain a foothold in the world of disarmament and non-proliferation. Not only can you learn from the experiences of an experienced and established mentor in the field, but you also get to connect with young like-minded colleagues who are also at the start of their career. I can definitely recommend it as the connections you are able to make are extremely valuable - both in the professional and the private sphere!” -Mentee

The final meeting was opened by Elena K. Sokova, VCDNP Executive Director, and Stephan Klement, Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at the European External Action Service (EEAS).

The event was held online and divided into three sessions. The first session was dedicated to mentees’ presentations and moderated by Paola Tessari (IAI). Several mentees presented the results of their research conducted during the Mentorship Programme. The presentations addressed issues related to arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation, including regional challenges, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, military expenditure and data collection, as well as the nexus between climate change and disarmament. Presentations were delivered by:

• Lara Maria Guedes, Intern at Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
• Ksenija Trajkovska, Analyst at Fenix Insight LTD
• Clara Wend, Student at Technical University Vienna
• Beatrice Aubert, Trainee at EEAS

  “I really like the concept of this Programme and how refreshing it felt to coach a mentee/someone who is hopeful and positive about the field and I learned a lot too as a mentor!” -Mentor

The second panel focused on providing career advice and featured a presentation by Elizabeth Bone, Career and Academic Advisor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Ms. Bone shared helpful tips when searching for a job and offered guidance for dealing with rejection and building resilience. The panel was moderated by Manuel Herrera (IAI).

  “The many opportunities provided by the mentorship programme have definitely deepened my understanding of arms control and non-proliferation. Especially the in-person conference in December 2023 was a particularly enriching experience. I also enjoyed both the issue-related and skill-building opportunities that took place online” -Mentee

The last panel was devoted to a comprehensive evaluation of the Programme to collect feedback from participants and brainstorm improvements for future editions. The open discussion was moderated by Federica Dall’Arche (VCDNP).