In the picture
Participation of women in the Spanish Armed Forces [Ministerio de Defensa].
The discussion about women's participation in the military has resurfaced with the start of the new Trump Administration. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was critical of that presence during his January confirmation for the position and in early April determined that physicalaptitude tests for combat positions be "gender neutral." This has raised concerns among U.S. military women; indeed, it is a discussion that crosses borders.
Gender equality has become an essential element for peace missions, both nationally and internationally, not only from an ethical but also from a strategic perspective. In our current global context, missions of international organizations play an essential role in promoting world peace and security. Therefore, promote equality is a core topic to strengthen their operational capabilities, their legitimacy as democratic organizations and their impact on global security.
Confronting positions: the political implications of the issue
In November 2024, as a guest on the 'Shawn Ryan Show' podcast, Hegseth made the following comments, "It hasn't made us more effective. It hasn't made us more lethal. It's made the fight more complicated." While there are views such as Pete Hegseth's that argue that the inclusion of women in the military has not improved military effectiveness, these positions tend to focus exclusively on physical capability and the supposed reduction in the 'lethality' of troops. Howeverprograms of study and empirical data contradict this idea.
SecurityWomen, an organization created to advocate for the inclusion of women in security sector institutions in countries around the world, stresses that "Hegseth risks undermining the progress and effectiveness of a modernized and diverse military force" by focusing only on notions of the physical. The organization argues that the contributions of women in security and defense, counterinsurgency operations and peacekeeping missions should not be underestimated. In addition, warfare has evolved from being purely a matter of hand-to-hand ground combat to requiring logistics, support to soldiers in the field, engineering and intelligence, where women are also of great financial aid.
The fundamental role of the United Nations
In international missions, the inclusion of women has proven to be an invaluable resource . According to the United Nations, in these subject of missions, women peacekeepers can interact more easily with women and children, building trust and improving communication in the local communities where they are deployed. For example, in Afghanistan, Female Interaction Teams (FETs) played a key role in gathering information from local women, since in places like this, a woman cannot talk to a man who is not part of her family environment. The FETs were also a core topic in providing women in the field, especially in rural areas, with information on their rights, development projects and health issues, which served to establish a relationship of trust that would serve as a basis for future operations in the area.
Resolution 1325, adopted on October 31, 2000 by the United Nations Security committee , was an important piece in the recognition of the essential role of women in international peace and security. This resolution calls for women to participate in peacebuilding, to be protected from human rights violations and to have access to justice. Since then, new resolutions have been adopted to complement it in order to strengthen its implementation and scope. An example of this is resolution 2538, passed on August 28, 2020 by the Security committee , which focuses exclusively on women's participation in peacekeeping operations and stresses the importance of increasing women's participation and representation in this area, noting that their presence improves the effectiveness of missions.
Beyond the difficulties and the numbers
Cultural barriers, historical prejudices and traditional hierarchical Structures in society often hinder the full integration of women in military and diplomatic roles within the armed forces and international organizations. Also, not having enough women in leadership positions is a factor that hinders the integration of female staff in organizations of this subject Added to this are factors such as unequal promotion opportunities and the persistence of work environments where sexist attitudes or discrimination may go unnoticed or even become normalized.
The shortage of women in leadership positions perpetuates a cycle in which the lack of female role models discourages new generations of women from considering careers in defense and security. According to the latest summary of national reports from NATO member and partner countries, the average percentage of women in NATO armed forces was only 12.73% in 2022. Although this percentage increased by 0.2% compared to the previous year, the figure is still minimal. Added to this, only 7 of the 32 permanent representatives in NATO are women, demonstrating the need for stronger measures to ensure gender equity at all levels.
However, the inclusion of women in the armed forces is not only a question of numbers, but also of ensuring an environment free of discrimination and sexist attitudes. As SecurityWomen points out, "in an environment where men are in the majority, there will be less incentive to hold each other accountable for sexist behavior." To achieve real change, it is absolutely necessary to implement effective whistleblower protocols and train senior management on gender equality. Without these measures, the presence of women in the armed forces may be limited by structural barriers and discriminatory attitudes that impede their professionaldevelopment plenary session of the Executive Council
Similarly, it is important to consider the benefits that training with a gender perspective in military institutions can bring. Incorporating educational programs that promote equality and make visible the challenges faced by women in these spaces can contribute to eliminate stereotypes and foster more inclusive work environments in this and other sectors. In addition, the creation of support and mentoring networks for women in the armed forces can be a core topic to strengthen their participation and promotion in the military hierarchy.
Being aware of the pending work
The discussion on the inclusion of women in the armed forces should not only be approached from a gender equity perspective, but also as a strategic necessity. Evidence sample that their participation not only enriches the operational capabilities of armies, but also improves the effectiveness of peace and security missions. However, achieving the goal of ensuring gender equality in missions of international organizations requires overcoming significant obstacles that must be addressed as soon as possible. It is crucial to implement more inclusive policies, eliminate prejudices and ensure conditions that allow the full integration of women at all levels of defense and security. This is the only way to build a force that is more modern, effective and representative of the societies it protects, and to ensure that peace, stability and justice become a reality for all.