Will women save our armies?
14 April 2025
Historically, women haven't really served in militaries – and still today, most countries don't enlist women. But in Denmark, women will have to do compulsory military service from 2026 onwards. This exposes a moral dilemma: Is it fair to take women out of their careers when they are already societally disadvantaged by pay and care gaps? At the same time, is it really equality that only men have to enlist? These are questions that have preoccupied Scandinavian countries.
In Switzerland, the government is also trying to encourage more women to join the military. The military orientation day – which also serves as a military audition – has been compulsory only for men. Soon, the citizens will vote on whether to extend the duty to women, too.
Why this change? Firstly, Switzerland is trying to strengthen its national defence capacity, and secondly, it wants to promote gender equality in the military. The motives are very similar to those in Denmark, where they expect fewer and fewer young people to sign up for military service voluntarily.
"We arm ourselves to avoid war," said Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen. The move is part of a wider defence reform sweeping through the country. Because of the deteriorating security situation in Europe, similar debates are popping up all around the continent – Switzerland included.
 | Ariela Dürrenberger What a wild thought: If I were still 16 today, I might have to consider the possibility of being called up for a military service audition in a few years. The military was never a big part of my life. Switzerland, a country renowned for its neutrality, seemed an unlikely candidate for conflict. I assumed that the armed forces would become less important and less expensive for the state overtime. But now, in the light of global geopolitical tensions, it feels like the opposite is happening. |
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