Doc. 10609

21 June 2005

Women in the armed forces

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Vadai and others

1.       Throughout history, armies have included few women. In contemporary times, women in the armed forces have been talked of since the two world wars. However, despite the examples of women’s voluntary - and involuntary - participation in armed conflicts as combatants and support staff, many countries and cultures refuse to allow women to take part in combat and, in anticipation, often deny them the right to join the armed forces.

2.       To what extent are we prepared to see women assuming roles that have hitherto been regarded by many as exclusively masculine and coping with the risks of military action? The situation is changing in some countries which are tending to grant women this right. In Germany the armed forces have only recently been feminised, since German women have had access to certain military careers since only 1975 and to all posts since January 2001.

3.       Changes are also taking place with regard to women’s professional careers. In France, for example, women now have the same legal status and career paths as men.

4.       In practice, however, the overall picture today is that military professions are still professions offered to men rather than to women. Furthermore, women’s professional development and career prospects in the army lag far behind those of men.

5.       Various avenues must be explored. In particular, in some countries, the army’s task is changing at international level and turning to activities centred on conflict prevention, peace-building, peacekeeping and national reconstruction in the wake of wars and natural disasters. In practice, these new functions performed by the army offer greater scope for women.

6.       Obstacles will have to be lifted, such as the harassment and human rights violations often directed at women military personnel.

7.       The Assembly therefore recommends that the governments and parliaments of the Council of Europe member States increase the participation of women in professional armed forces so that women’s access to the institution, training, occupational distribution and careers at least tend to move closer to the situation in civilian society.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

VADAI, Ágnes, Hungary, SOC

ANGYALOVÁ, Edita, Slovakia, SOC

BRANGER, Jean-Guy, France, EPP/CD

ČURDOVÁ, Anna, Czech Republic, SOC

DAMANAKI, Maria, Greece, SOC

DROMBERG, Kaarina, Finland, EPP/CD

HÄGG, Carina, Sweden, SOC

NAGHDALYAN, Hermine, Armenia, LDR

PAPADIMITRIOU, Elsa, Greece, EPP/CD

STĂNOIU, Rodica Mihaela, Romania, SOC

WESTERLUND PANKE, Majléne, Sweden, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group