Women in the armed forces: The slow path to equality!

Women in the armed forces: The slow path to equality!

The proportion of women in the Austrian armed forces has only increased slowly in recent years. According to a Defense Ministry report, the proportion of women is now around 6%, up from 4.3% since 1998, when women were able to serve voluntarily in the armed forces for the first time. The current figures come from an analysis of women's military services for the years 2023 and 2024. As of December 31, 2024, there were 818 female soldiers serving in the Federal Army, with 497 women already reporting for basic military service in 2023 alone. In 2024, this number increased slightly to 508, of which 261 actually competed and 141 were accepted. These developments can be clearly seen in the Vienna.at.

Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) confirmed that the proportion of women in the armed forces should be further increased. The three-party coalition is working on this, but conscription for women remains under discussion. Erich Cibulka, President of the Austrian Officers' Society, is committed to reform in this regard, but currently does not see a majority in favor of his proposal. Tanner himself rejects compulsory military service for women as long as equality is not fully achieved. While some advocate compulsory military service, critics point out that the high drop-out rates during training keep the proportion of women in the army low.

Challenges of integration

An integral point in the debate about the proportion of women in the armed forces is the aptitude test for the recently introduced six-month basic military service for women, which is significantly more demanding than for the simple position. This test is carried out over several days in Wels and tests both the physical and psychological suitability for service with the weapon. These high requirements contribute to the fact that the proportion of women in the army remains low, with only 645 women currently in active service, which corresponds to a proportion of just four percent. Basic military service enables women to get to know the armed forces “from the inside” and to familiarize themselves with the processes, an opportunity that does not always lead to a long-term commitment.

In Germany there is also currently a discussion about equality in compulsory military service. Article 3 of the Basic Law gives men and women equal rights, but Article 12a regulates compulsory military service exclusively for men. WDR presenter Sebastian Moritz demands that conscription should apply to all genders. This is in line with the opinion of Doris Akrap from the “tageszeitung”, who describes compulsory military service, which only applies to men, as discrimination and warns that it negatively influences society’s view of women. According to Moritz, the demands of the military have changed so that physical strength should no longer be the sole criterion. The integration of women into the Bundeswehr results in a “better mood” in the troops. Maja Apelt, professor of organizational and administrative sociology, also emphasizes that women have a greater interest in peace and conflict research, which could expand their role in the military.