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CTV News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Denmark expands military service to include women
20-year-old Katrine, right, speaks with another female servicemember during final exercises at a training area close to Royal Danish Army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/James Brooks) COPENHAGEN — Denmark on Tuesday expanded its military service to include women, as the Nordic country seeks to recruit more soldiers and strengthen its defenses amid heightened security concerns across Europe. Under a law passed by Denmark's parliament in June 2023, Denmark will require women turning 18 after July 1, 2025, to register for assessment days for potential military conscription, aligning with measures already in place for men. Until now, women, who last year made up around 24% of all recruits, had been allowed to join the military on a voluntary basis. '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,' Katrine, a recruit in the Danish Royal Life Guard, told Reuters without giving her last name. In Denmark, volunteers are signed up first for conscription, while the remaining numbers are drawn up in a lottery system. The armed forces are in the process of making adjustments in barracks and equipment better suited for women. 'There are different things that they need to improve, especially in terms of equipment. Right now, it's made for men, so perhaps the rucksacks are a bit too large and the uniforms are large as well,' said Katrine. Denmark, which together with NATO allies last week agreed to boost defence spending, plans to gradually increase the duration of the conscription period from four months to 11 months in 2026 and raise the number of recruits doing military service from around 5,000 now to 7,500 in 2033. Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Tom Little, editing by Franklin Paul
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Women can be drafted into the Danish military as Russian aggression and military investment grows
Young conscripts sit waiting in the grass during final exercises at a training area close to Royal Danish Army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometres north of Copenhagen, Denmark, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/James Brooks) HOVELTE, Denmark — Peering across a dense stretch of woodland outside of Denmark's capital with camouflage paint smeared across her face, 20-year-old Katrine scans the horizon for approaching threats. After nearly four months of military training, the young soldier and the rest of her unit spent early June completing their final exercises near the Danish army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of Copenhagen. Katrine and other female soldiers, all of whom spoke to The Associated Press on June 11 on the condition that only their first names be used because of operational security, volunteered for military service earlier this year. Until now, that was the only way women were allowed to partake in military service, although women have been able to enlist as full-time members of the armed forces since the early 1970s The Scandinavian country is seeking to increase the number of young people in the military by extending compulsory enlistment to women for the first time. Men and women can both still volunteer, and the remaining places will be filled by a gender-neutral draft lottery. 'In the situation the world is in now, it's needed,' Katrine said. 'I think it's only fair and right that women participate equally with men.' Under new rules passed by Denmark's parliament earlier in June, Danish women who turn 18 after Tuesday will be entered into the lottery system, on an equal footing with their male compatriots. The change comes against a backdrop of Russian aggression and growing military investment across NATO countries. Russia's looming threat Even from the relative safety of Denmark, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine casts its shadow. Lessons from the Ukrainian battlefields have even filtered down into their training. 'That makes it very real,' Katrine said. Denmark's gender-parity reforms were originally outlined in 2024 as part of a major defence agreement. The program was originally expected to be implemented by early 2027, but has been brought forward to summer 2025. Col. Kenneth Strøm, head of the conscription program, told AP the move is based on 'the current security situation.' 'They could take part in NATO collective deterrence,' Strøm added. 'Raising the number of conscripts, that would simply lead to more combat power.' Denmark, a nation of 6 million people, has about 9,000 professional troops. The new arrangement is expected to bring the figure up to 6,500 people doing military service annually by 2033, up from 4,700 last year. Under Danish law, all physically fit men over age 18 are called up for military service. Some people — both men and women — volunteer, and the rest of the places are filled by a lottery system that until now has only involved men. Women volunteers make up roughly a quarter of 2024's cohort. 'Some will probably be very disappointed being chosen to go into the military,' Anne Sofie, part of Katrine's cohort of volunteers, said of the new female conscripts. 'Some will probably be surprised and like it a lot more than they think they would.' The duration of service is also being extended, from four to 11 months. Conscripts will first spend five months in basic training, followed by six months of operational service, plus additional lessons. Military buildup The move is part of a broader military buildup by the Nordic nation. In February, Denmark's government announced plans to bolster its military by setting up a US$7 billion fund that it said would raise the country's defence spending to more than 3% of gross domestic product this year. Parts of the conscript program are being financed by the so-called Acceleration Fund. 'We see a sharpened security situation in Europe. We have the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We have focus on the Baltic countries, where Denmark is contributing a lot of soldiers. So, I think it's a general effort to strengthen the Danish defence,' said researcher Rikke Haugegaard from the Royal Danish Defense College. But Haugegaard notes there are many challenges, from ill-fitting equipment and a lack of additional barracks, to potential cases of sexual harassment. 'For the next year or two, we will be building a lot of new buildings to accommodate all these people. So, it will be a gradual process,' she added. In 2017, neighbouring Sweden instituted a military draft for both men and women after its government spoke of a deteriorating security environment in Europe. Norway introduced its own law applying military conscription to both sexes in 2013. James Brooks, The Associated Press
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Washington Post
Women can be drafted into the Danish military as Russian aggression and military investment grows
HOVELTE, Denmark — Peering across a dense stretch of woodland outside of Denmark's capital with camouflage paint smeared across her face, 20-year-old Katrine scans the horizon for approaching threats. After nearly four months of military training, the young soldier and the rest of her unit spent early June completing their final exercises near the Danish army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Copenhagen.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Denmark to draft women into army amid growing Russian aggression, military expansion
Peering across a dense stretch of woodland outside of Denmark's capital with camouflage paint smeared across her face, 20-year-old Katrine scans the horizon for approaching threats. After nearly four months of military training, the young soldier and the rest of her unit spent early June completing their final exercises near the Danish army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometres north of Copenhagen. Katrine and other female soldiers, all of whom spoke to The Associated Press on June 11 on the condition that only their first names be used because of operational security, volunteered for military service earlier this year. Until now, that was the only way for women to be part of the armed forces. The Scandinavian country is seeking to increase the number of young people in the military by extending compulsory enlistment to women for the first time. Men and women can both still volunteer, and the remaining places will be filled by a gender-neutral draft lottery. "In the situation the world is in now, it's needed," Katrine said. "I think it's only fair and right that women participate equally with men." Under new rules passed by Denmark's parliament earlier in June, Danish women who turn 18 after Tuesday will be entered into the lottery system, on equal footing with their male compatriots. The change comes against a backdrop of Russian aggression and growing military investment across NATO countries. Move based on 'current security situation': conscription program head Even from the relative safety of Denmark, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine casts its shadow. Lessons from the Ukrainian battlefields have even filtered down into their training. "That makes it very real," Katrine said. Denmark's gender-parity reforms were originally outlined in 2024 as part of a major defence agreement. The program was originally expected to be implemented by early 2027, but has been brought forward to summer 2025. Col. Kenneth Strøm, head of the conscription program, told AP the move is based on "the current security situation." "They could take part in NATO collective deterrence," Strøm added. "Raising the number of conscripts, that would simply lead to more combat power." Denmark, a nation of six million people, has about 9,000 professional troops. The new arrangement is expected to bring up to 6,500 annual conscripts by 2033, up from 4,700 last year. Under Danish law, all physically fit men over age 18 are called up for military service. But because there are usually enough volunteers, there's a lottery system so not all young men serve. Women, by contrast, could only volunteer previously, making up roughly a quarter of 2024's cohort. "Some will probably be very disappointed being chosen to go into the military," Anne Sofie, part of Katrine's cohort of volunteers, said of the new female conscripts. "Some will probably be surprised and like it a lot more than they think they would." The duration of service is also being extended from four to 11 months. Conscripts will first spend five months in basic training, followed by six months of operational service, plus additional lessons. A 'gradual process' of building up military The move is part of a broader military buildup by the Nordic nation. In February, Denmark's government announced plans to bolster its military by setting up a $7 billion US fund that it said would raise the country's defence spending to more than 3 per cent of gross domestic product this year. Parts of the conscript program are being financed by the so-called Acceleration Fund. "We see a sharpened security situation in Europe. We have the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We have focus on the Baltic countries, where Denmark is contributing a lot of soldiers. So, I think it's a general effort to strengthen the Danish defence," said researcher Rikke Haugegaard from the Royal Danish Defence College. But Haugegaard notes there are many challenges, from ill-fitting equipment and a lack of additional barracks, to potential cases of sexual harassment. "For the next year or two, we will be building a lot of new buildings to accommodate all these people. So, it will be a gradual process," she added. In 2017, neighbouring Sweden instituted a military draft for both men and women after its government spoke of a deteriorating security environment in Europe. Norway introduced its own law applying military conscription to both sexes in 2013
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Women can be drafted into the Danish military as Russian aggression and military investment grows
HOVELTE, Denmark (AP) — Peering across a dense stretch of woodland outside of Denmark's capital with camouflage paint smeared across her face, 20-year-old Katrine scans the horizon for approaching threats. After nearly four months of military training, the young soldier and the rest of her unit spent early June completing their final exercises near the Danish army's barracks in Hovelte, 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of Copenhagen. Katrine and other female soldiers, all of whom spoke to The Associated Press on June 11 on the condition that only their first names be used because of operational security, volunteered for military service earlier this year. Until now, that was the only way for women to be part of the armed forces. The Scandinavian country is seeking to increase the number of young people in the military by extending compulsory enlistment to women for the first time. Men and women can both still volunteer, and the remaining places will be filled by a gender-neutral draft lottery. 'In the situation the world is in now, it's needed,' Katrine said. 'I think it's only fair and right that women participate equally with men.' Under new rules passed by Denmark's parliament earlier in June, Danish women who turn 18 after Tuesday will be entered into the lottery system, on equal footing with their male compatriots. The change comes against a backdrop of Russian aggression and growing military investment across NATO countries. Russia's looming threat Even from the relative safety of Denmark, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine casts its shadow. Lessons from the Ukrainian battlefields have even filtered down into their training. 'That makes it very real,' Katrine said. Denmark's gender-parity reforms were originally outlined in 2024 as part of a major defense agreement. The program was originally expected to be implemented by early 2027, but has been brought forward to summer 2025. Col. Kenneth Strøm, head of the conscription program, told AP the move is based on 'the current security situation.' 'They could take part in NATO collective deterrence,' Strøm added. 'Raising the number of conscripts, that would simply lead to more combat power.' Denmark, a nation of 6 million people, has about 9,000 professional troops. The new arrangement is expected to bring up to 6,500 annual conscripts by 2033, up from 4,700 last year. Under Danish law, all physically fit men over age 18 are called up for military service. But because there are usually enough volunteers, there's a lottery system so not all young men serve. Women, by contrast, could only volunteer previously, making up roughly a quarter of 2024's cohort. 'Some will probably be very disappointed being chosen to go into the military,' Anne Sofie, part of Katrine's cohort of volunteers, said of the new female conscripts. 'Some will probably be surprised and like it a lot more than they think they would.' The duration of service is also being extended from four to 11 months. Conscripts will first spend five months in basic training, followed by six months of operational service, plus additional lessons. Military buildup The move is part of a broader military buildup by the Nordic nation. In February, Denmark's government announced plans to bolster its military by setting up a $7 billion fund that it said would raise the country's defense spending to more than 3% of gross domestic product this year. Parts of the conscript program are being financed by the so-called Acceleration Fund. 'We see a sharpened security situation in Europe. We have the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. We have focus on the Baltic countries, where Denmark is contributing a lot of soldiers. So, I think it's a general effort to strengthen the Danish defense,' said researcher Rikke Haugegaard from the Royal Danish Defense College. But Haugegaard notes there are many challenges, from ill-fitting equipment and a lack of additional barracks, to potential cases of sexual harassment. 'For the next year or two, we will be building a lot of new buildings to accommodate all these people. So, it will be a gradual process,' she added. In 2017, neighboring Sweden instituted a military draft for both men and women after its government spoke of a deteriorating security environment in Europe. Norway introduced its own law applying military conscription to both sexes in 2013.
