The Danish government has announced plans to make mandatory recruitment of women in the military effective, just like for the first time

At present, only men are subject to mandatory recruitment in the Danish military. This means that women in the country can join the military voluntarily if they wish. However, Denmark is now planning to implement mandatory recruitment for women in the military starting from 2026.

When this policy becomes effective, Denmark will become the third European country to announce mandatory recruitment of women in the military, along with Norway and Sweden. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark announced the plan to introduce reforms in military recruitment on Wednesday. She said, “The government aims to ensure gender equality thoroughly.”

Currently, in Denmark, military service for women is mandatory for four months. The government is also considering extending this period to eleven months.

The Scandinavian country also aims to increase the defense budget. It aims to increase the allocation to the defense sector by nearly $600 million over the next five years to fulfill NATO’s target levels.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated, “We are equipping ourselves anew, not because we seek war, but because we want to be prepared for it.” Last year, Denmark enlisted 4,700 people in its military, including about 25% women. Plans have been made to increase this number to 5,000 recruits annually.

Denmark has a population of approximately 6 million. Currently, there are about 20,000 active members in the country’s military, with nearly 9,000 being professional soldiers.

Since the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022, tensions have been escalating in Europe. Denmark is one of the countries supporting Ukraine. The country has provided modern weapons and equipment to Ukraine. Denmark has provided training to Ukrainian pilots on how to operate the US-made F-16 fighter jets.

NATO, the military alliance, aims to strengthen its defense capabilities in Europe focusing on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Recently, Finland and Sweden joined NATO.