Equal duty: debating compulsory military service for women
Is mandatory military service for men and women the solution for Europe's military unpreparedness and troop shortage? As a somewhat controversial form of gender equality, politicians in Latvia have proposed to conscript women for mandatory military service. Similarly, Finland and Denmark have also been debating the same question.
Women remain underrepresented in most European armed forces, but in the past few years, the number of women serving in military forces has grown. Latvia already surpasses most NATO members and its Baltic neighbours in attracting female recruits, with them making up over 15% of the Latvian National Armed Forces for the past decade. Meanwhile, Sweden and Norway have had mandatory military service for both men and women for years now.
A gender-neutral conscription might be a modern way to approach the issue of troop shortage and challenge traditional gender roles. However, this also means the military has to adapt and make itself more inclusive and progressive than it has been up until now. The culture surrounding the military is male-dominated and can create a hostile environment, often including sexual harassment and abuse that is not addressed.