Conscript service for women in Ukraine: why it is important and what are the state’s plans
7 May 22:13
Since 2014, when Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine began, the issue of women’s involvement in military service has become part of public discourse. However, despite the growing role of women in the country’s defense, the state has not initiated or promoted the creation of a “conscript army” for women, either in the legislative field or at the level of official statements, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing Oksana Grigorieva, a gender adviser to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
We did not do this, and this is, of course, our fault. We did not popularize the topic of involving all women. Women joined the army voluntarily in 2014, and they are still joining voluntarily now. But honor and praise to these women, because they are motivated, because they came on their own,” she said.
Hryhorieva explained that in 2024, the Norwegian experience of women and young girls volunteering for conscription could be used.
“Let these girls be trained even abroad. NATO will help us here. But they need to be trained,” emphasized the Armed Forces Gender Advisor.
Oksana Hryhorieva also added that she believes Ukrainian society is not ready for the forced mobilization of women.
There will be a lot of protests. We have a lot of different women’s movements – political, human rights, etc. – but we don’t have a single movement for the mobilization of women,” emphasized Hryhorieva.
How women do military service in Norway
In Norway, women have had the right to perform military functions since 1938. During World War II, women soldiers and officers served in all branches of the Armed Forces. In 1947, they were transferred to rear positions, but in 1985, the parliament passed legislation on equal opportunities for women and men in the military.
In 2015, Norway became the first NATO member state to make military service compulsory for both sexes. In 2020, women accounted for 33% of the total number of people who completed compulsory military service.
Norwegian citizens are drafted into the army at the age of 19. Both men and women are required to report to the assembly points, but only 15% of them are selected for service, which lasts 12-16 months.
Only a small percentage of female conscripts in Norway seek a career in the armed forces, in part due to sexual harassment. As of 2017, the country’s army had 12% of female soldiers.
Women in the Armed Forces: what is the situation in Ukraine?
It should be noted that women in Ukraine have the right to voluntarily join the Armed Forces, serve on an equal footing with men, participate in combat operations and hold leadership positions. The list of military specialties available to women is gradually expanding – from snipers and medics to artillerymen and staff officers. This is evidence of a real, rather than formal, approach to gender integration in the security sector.
In 2021, an updated procedure for registering women in the military was also introduced, but it is not about forced service, but about the possibility of being part of the reserve on a voluntary basis.
At the same time, it is important to emphasize that no one is forcing Ukrainian women to join the military under duress or to create separate “women’s units” based on the Soviet model. Such initiatives have not been discussed since 2014 and are not part of the state’s official defense policy. The Ministry of Defense has repeatedly stated that it does not plan to introduce separate standards for women in the Armed Forces. Instead, the emphasis is on professionalism, training, motivation and equal opportunities. Women’s participation in combat is voluntary, and they receive the same training and support as men.
This is evidence of the state’s balanced approach: Ukraine does not rely on the formal involvement of women in the army, but on quality, equality and compliance with NATO standards. The interests of national security are at the center, not decorative initiatives or attempts to make the army “more gendered” on paper.
Moreover, it is in the context of a full-scale war since 2022 that Ukrainian women have demonstrated resilience, adaptability and readiness to perform the most difficult tasks. They command units, conduct reconnaissance, evacuate the wounded, and work in information warfare. And instead of populist slogans about the “women’s army,” society should recognize their real role in the modern army – without artificially dividing them into “women’s” and “men’s” duties. This is not only about equality, it is about efficiency.
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