Compulsory conscription of women into the army: recent statements in Europe and Ukraine

After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world community began to seriously think about the issue of security and defense. The threat posed by the policy of the Russian Federation has forced many countries to reconsider their approaches to defense strategy, in particular regarding the role of women in the armed forces. Although compulsory conscription of women into the army is rare, particularly in Europe, where only two countries — Norway and Sweden — have such a practice, more and more countries are beginning to discuss the possibility. Whether this is a forced step against the background of growing military threats, or an attempt to achieve gender equality in society, this question causes a lot of controversy and requires thorough analysis.

In this context, plans to introduce compulsory conscription of women into the army are being discussed in several countries in Europe and beyond. Along with this, the experience of other countries, such as Israel and South Korea, which have long implemented similar measures, can serve as a useful example for countries considering this initiative. At the same time, the situation in Ukraine, which is at the center of a modern military conflict, also causes active discussions about the potential conscription of women.

What has been said recently about the mobilization of women in foreign countries

Lithuania declared that she supports the introduction of compulsory military service for women from the age of 18. Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas noted:

“We cannot ignore the fact that security in our region is changing. Expanding conscription to women is a necessary step to ensure our defense capability.”

Denmark. Denmark announced in March 2024 plans to extend military service to women for the first time from 2026 and aims to achieve full gender equality. This coincided with the announcement of a $6 billion increase in the defense budget. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen explained that her country is rearming not because it wants war, but because it wants to avoid it.

In addition, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated:

“Tough conscription, including full gender equality, should contribute to solving the problems of defense, national mobilization and manning of our armed forces.”

USA. The United States is currently trying to legislate women’s conscription. The House and Senate are considering legislation to automatically enroll women in the Selective Service between the ages of 18 and 25. However, the law, far from being passed, has faced resistance from conservative Republicans year after year.

Supporters of the proposal point out that the Army is facing shrinking recruitment, which could hamper military readiness in the event of a threat. Richard Cohn, a professor of history at the University of North Carolina, said that the United States cannot count on a first-class fighting force if half the population is excluded.

“If you want to have the best human capital in the military, you’ve got to include women — there’s just not enough caliber in the male population to get what you need.”

More than 224,000 women serve in the United States military, which is about 17% of the force. The U.S. now has female fighter pilots, female officers in the Navy, and the commandant of the Coast Guard.

Germany. In May, Germany voted to put compulsory military service back on the agenda. This system was abolished in 2011. Bundeswehr Chief of Defense Staff Carsten Breyer said women should be drafted into the army and service should be compulsory for both sexes.

“We now have suspended military service, which, according to the Constitution, is aimed only at the male population. We must establish equality here, but first we need a corresponding political and social discussion.” he said.

In addition to Europe, women’s conscription already exists in Israel and South Korea. In Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Galant noted:

“Women play a key role in our military and their contribution to national security cannot be overstated. They serve in all units on an equal footing with men, and we continue to strengthen this principle of equality.”

In South Korea, the issue of compulsory conscription of women is also actively discussed, but the final decision has not yet been made.

What they say in Ukraine

In Ukraine, women can fight in the ranks of the Armed Forces, but only voluntarily. Mobilization is also voluntary for female doctors and pharmacists. According to the Ministry of Defense, 45,587 women currently serve in the ranks of the Armed Forces. In the army, any restrictions on the appointment and service of female military personnel in all positions have been abolished. Previously, women could serve in the positions of mainly medical specialties, accountants, communications workers, cooks, clerks, now there are no such restrictions. A woman in the army can be a BMP commander, a machine gunner, a sniper, a driver, a grenade launcher, a deputy commander of a reconnaissance group, a repairman.

The publication Texty estimated that there are 5.6 million women of military age in Ukraine, but 46% of women aged 18-60 are raising children. Thus, the announcement of the mobilization of women without children will make it possible to replenish the reserve by 3 million people. The publication suggested that women can serve in air defense forces throughout Ukraine both as part of mobile brigades that destroy “Shaheds”, and on more complex equipment, as operators of drones (both reconnaissance and strike), female snipers. Also, women can replace men in logistics, accounting, accounting, decoding, work of press services, at defense plants.

At a closed meeting with KSE (Kyiv School of Economics) graduates, the head of the Ukrainian SSR Kyrylo Budanov said that Ukraine will be able to wage war until 2033 if it mobilizes all people over the age of 18. Lowering the threshold to 16 years (as considered by the Russian Federation) would allow the war to continue until 2044.

Oksana Grigoryeva, gender adviser to the commander of the Ground Forces, said that Ukraine should get rid of the “old-fashioned mentality” towards women and adopt the policy of conscription of women for military service on the Israeli model.

Consequently, the mandatory conscription of women into the military is a highly controversial issue with important implications for both gender equality and national security. In a world of increasing security challenges, countries are revising their defense strategies, taking into account the need to maximize all resources, including women. The experiences of Israel and South Korea demonstrate that women can successfully perform military tasks, and their participation in military service is becoming increasingly necessary.

In Europe and the USA, the issue of compulsory conscription of women is beginning to be discussed at different levels. Although these discussions often face cultural and social obstacles, the need to ensure the defense capabilities of states becomes a strong argument in favor of such a step.

In Ukraine, where the war continues, the issue of women’s mobilization may become another challenge, but at the same time, an opportunity to increase the country’s defense capabilities. However, the introduction of compulsory conscription for women requires a careful approach, taking into account social, cultural and demographic aspects, as well as conducting a broad public debate.

Ultimately, the decision to conscription of women must be based on the real needs of national security and the desire to achieve equality and justice in society, while maintaining a balance between the needs of the state and the rights of citizens.