As global tensions ratchet up defensive preparations, countries are beginning to reconsider whether conscripting only men into their armed forces will be enough. In Ukraine, the country's military adviser on gender issues, Oksana Grigorieva, has said it should get rid of its "old-fashioned mentality" and start conscripting women into the army.
There are already about 65,000 women serving as volunteers in Ukraine's armed forces — an increase of about 40% from the year before Russia's invasion. But this represents a smaller percentage (7.3%) of female participation than in most NATO states. Last month, Denmark announced plans to become the 10th country in the world, and the third in Europe, to extend military conscription to women.
In the face of increasing Russian bombardment, dwindling supplies and heavy Ukrainian losses, it is "only right that women serve too," Grigorieva said to The Times.
Throughout history, conscription has predominantly targeted men, reflecting traditional gender roles, perceptions of physical strength and military duty. This has often excluded women, though they serve voluntarily in many armed forces around the world. But amid growing gender equality and global insecurity, the picture is changing.
Ira Shevchenko, who has volunteered in the Ukrainian military since 2021, believes women should be conscripted. "Equal rights goes hand-in-hand with equal responsibilities," she told The Times. | 
