In a move towards gender equality in defense, Denmark's parliament has approved a law that requires women to register for military conscription upon turning 18, aligning them with their male counterparts in a lottery system.
Danish Parliament Approves Women's Military Conscription by Lottery
Danish Parliament Approves Women's Military Conscription by Lottery
Denmark introduces mandatory military service for women, following a new lottery system, amid rising security concerns.
The law, which took effect recently, mandates that both young women and men must sign up for potential military service, moving from voluntary participation to a system where volunteers are prioritized before a lottery fills remaining slots. Men and women will be required to serve for 11 months, an increase from the previous four-month term. This significant policy shift responds to heightened security concerns in Europe, compelling NATO countries to augment their defense capabilities.
Prior to this change, Danish women could choose to serve in the military voluntarily once they reached adulthood, but with the current geopolitical climate, the Danish government believes conscription is necessary. Both Sweden and Norway have recently adopted similar measures, reflecting a broader trend of increased military participation among women in the region.
The Danish government has committed to investing an additional 40.5 billion crowns ($5.9 billion) over the next five years to bolster its military in alignment with NATO targets. Currently, Denmark has a personnel strength of around 9,000 active military members, and the introduction of conscription is expected to elevate the total number of annual military participants to 6,500 by 2033.
Colonel Kenneth Strom, who oversees conscription in Denmark, affirmed that the switch to include women was a politically motivated decision, dictated by current global security dynamics. He stated, “It’s about increasing our combat power and ensuring that our military has the skills necessary across all branches.”
Katrine, a current military volunteer, expressed support for the change, recognizing the necessity for equal contributions from women, given today's global challenges. She remarked, “In the world situation we're in right now, it’s necessary to have more conscripts, and I think that women should contribute to that equally, as men do."
Prior to this change, Danish women could choose to serve in the military voluntarily once they reached adulthood, but with the current geopolitical climate, the Danish government believes conscription is necessary. Both Sweden and Norway have recently adopted similar measures, reflecting a broader trend of increased military participation among women in the region.
The Danish government has committed to investing an additional 40.5 billion crowns ($5.9 billion) over the next five years to bolster its military in alignment with NATO targets. Currently, Denmark has a personnel strength of around 9,000 active military members, and the introduction of conscription is expected to elevate the total number of annual military participants to 6,500 by 2033.
Colonel Kenneth Strom, who oversees conscription in Denmark, affirmed that the switch to include women was a politically motivated decision, dictated by current global security dynamics. He stated, “It’s about increasing our combat power and ensuring that our military has the skills necessary across all branches.”
Katrine, a current military volunteer, expressed support for the change, recognizing the necessity for equal contributions from women, given today's global challenges. She remarked, “In the world situation we're in right now, it’s necessary to have more conscripts, and I think that women should contribute to that equally, as men do."
