Denmark Implements Female Conscription to Boost Recruitment

Denmark has expanded its military service requirements to include women, as the Scandinavian country aims to recruit more soldiers and strengthen its defense amid rising security concerns across Europe. According to a law passed in June 2023, women who turn 18 after July 1, 2025, must register for assessment days that could lead to mandatory military service, aligning them with measures already in place for men. Previously, women—who made up about 24% of all recruits last year—joined the military on a voluntary basis. ‘In the global situation we are currently facing, it is necessary to have more recruits, and I believe women should contribute equally, just like men,’ said Katrine, a new recruit in the Royal Guard of Denmark, who declined to give her last name. In Denmark, volunteers first sign up for service, while remaining slots are filled through a lottery system. The armed forces are also adapting barracks and equipment to better suit female soldiers. Denmark, which along with NATO allies agreed last week to increase defense spending, plans to gradually extend the service period from four months to 11 months by 2026 and raise the number of conscripts from around 5,000 now to 7,500 by 2033.