“Ready, aim, fire!” shouts a resolute female voice, followed by the sharp crack of gunshots. This is a scene from a Swiss news report on the ongoing debate over female conscription. For years, the question of mandatory military service for women has sparked heated discussions across Europe, challenging long-standing norms and provoking strong opinions on both sides. In particular, it has been receiving more attention this year with Denmark and Latvia announcing their plans to introduce female conscription. These plans follow in the footsteps of Norway and Sweden, who introduced female conscription in 2015 and 2017, respectively. In a rapidly changing world that sees conflict looming or already happening in many areas, the topic of female conscription becomes a point of discussion interrelated with many other issues.
A Brief History of Women in War
Women have always played a role in armed conflict. As civilians, women historically have experienced great suffering through decisions largely made by others, which irrevocably affected their lives. After all, a vast 90% of war casualties are civilians. There is also another side of the history of women in conflict which is seldomly regarded when reflecting on this topic. In her book “Women Warriors: How Females
Have Fought in Combat Since History’s Beginning” (2019) global historian Pamela Toler makes a notable point: All throughout history, be it Viking warriors, brave Vietnamese Queens or military doctors in disguise, women have been actively present, despite, as she puts it, “often being pushed to the margins of the story.” Many similar stories have only come to light recently, thanks to a fresh wave of historical research that challenges old biases. Take, for example, the case of the Birka warrior—a Viking skeleton buried with an impressive array of weapons. Only through modern DNA analysis was it revealed that this warrior was, in fact, female. “Women fight as mothers, widows, daughters, or queens, they are going to defend their homes. […] The most common women warriors throughout history are women who defend besieged cities” as Toler put it in a podcast episode talking about her research. It becomes apparent that historically women were not merely passive victims of conflict – they were active participants, fighting for their country, their family, and their own lives.
Why Conscript Women? Or why Conscript at all?
To delve into the question more deeply, it is of interest to first examine how the topic of mandatory conscription is presented within Europe in general. Between the years of 1990 and 2013, 24 countries removed mandatory military service from their legislation. Both in the “Action plan on Military Mobility 2.0”, published by the European Commission in 2022 and the first report on the implementation of this action plan, the issue of conscription is not explicitly mentioned. However, a need for enhanced military mobility within Europe is considered as vital for future security and defence, especially in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Approaches to conscription vary greatly within Europe, from some countries such as Ireland and Malta never introducing mandatory conscription to countries like Austria and Denmark having implemented required service. In 2003, a case of a German individual was brought to court which confirmed that conscription was a topic solely under the jurisdiction of Member States. It is worth noting that the debate over conscription for both men and women remains fiercely contested across Europe, with countries adopting differing approaches. As the conversation continues, there is no clear consensus on whether mandatory military service should exist, or what form it should take.
Critical Views on Female Conscription
The International Alliance of Women summarises in their article key standpoints opposing female conscription and conscription in general. One of the main points of critique pertains to the misconceived understanding of equality. According to them, “real gender equality implies more than the incorporation of women into a social structure formed by men,” which could result in even greater inequality. Furthermore, they argue that integrating women will not automatically imply a change in the organisation’s culture. Rather, it is necessary to focus on disarmament and non- proliferation efforts for both men and women. An article published on the topic of analysing the differences in societal debate on conscription in Sweden and Austria notes that political parties from across the spectrum in Austria were opposed to the introduction of female conscription. Arguments ranging from the traditional role of the woman in the family to resulting workforce inequality were brought up. This stance is apparent in the referendum on the topic of conscription offering only the abolishment or continuation of conscription for men. Conscription in Austria now remains an exclusively male obligation.
THE REALITY IS THAT WOMEN OFTEN FACE HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE IN THE MILITARY, AND UNTIL THAT
CHANGES, I HESITATE TO SUPPORT MANDATORY SERVICE.
Case Study: Norway
This consensus is not as self-evident in other European countries such as Norway. In a statement to the OSCE, Norway outlines two central arguments underlining the vitality of universal conscription. First, the conviction that women and men should have equal rights, obligations and opportunities in all parts of society and secondly, the view that most qualified candidates, regardless of gender, shall be recruited. In an interview with A. B., who underwent the military service in Norway, she concludes on the reality of mandatory military service for women as it currently is implemented in Norway:
“In principle, I support mandatory military service for women because it promotes equality and challenges stereotypes. However, the reality is that women often face harassment and violence in the military, and until that changes, I hesitate to support mandatory service. If there were effective safety measures and trusted resources, it could be a valuable experience for women. The military challenges you and shows what you are capable of, and it can be an empowering experience if done in a safe environment. However, the risk of harm makes it difficult to recommend.”
Call to Action
The September 2024 UN Security Council Report paints a stark picture of the current reality: Progress made in women’s rights and inclusion in the pursuit of peace is vanishing amid record levels of armed violence. As the “UN Pact for the Future” states, the full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of women is vital in achieving sustainable peace. It is undeniable that women, representing half the world population, need to be included in all matters of security and peace-building efforts, from the base of the system at the level of mandatory conscription to the decision-making institutions on top. To put it in the words of Antonio Guterres, “Peace can achieve wonders that wars never will.” Since this is a world shared by all of us it should be in all our responsibilities and rights to work towards a better future for all.
