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% on the year before Russia's invasion. But that represents a smaller percentage (7.3%) of female participation than most Nato states. Yet in the face of increasing Russian bombardment, dwindling supplies and heavy Ukrainian losses "it is only right that women serve, too", Grigorieva told 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 as preoccupation grows with both gender equality and global insecurity the picture is changing. The vast majority of the UK public (72%) now believe women should be conscripted in the event of a draft, according to the latest YouGov poll in January. About 42% of respondents thought women should serve on the same basis as men, while 30% thought there should be some restrictions on the roles women could perform.
Ira Shevchenko, who has volunteered in the Ukrainian military since 2021, told The Times women should be conscripted on the grounds of gender equality. "Equal rights goes hand-in-hand with equal responsibilities," she said. | 
