Attitude of human rights defenders to the phenomenon of feminization of the army

Abstract

The feminization of the army is part of the objective process of feminization of society. The military realities of Ukrainian society point to the need to involve women in military service as full-fledged subjects of military activity. However, there are many obstacles and prejudices on the way to achieving gender equality and combating discrimination in the army. Therefore, the article presents the results of considering this issue from the perspective of representatives of women’s human rights organizations. Empirically, the study is based on a series of semi-structured depth interviews, which made it possible to assess the prospects and challenges on the way to feminization of the Ukrainian army from the perspective of actors.The results of the study have shown that the increase in the number and importance of the role of women in the army takes place in a context shaped by the activities of government agencies, international organizations, the public sector, business, media and socio-political events. Representatives of women’s human rights organizations note that the state should play a key role in implementing gender policies, but currently, its involvement is insufficient or, in some aspects, absent altogether. The participants of the study also highly appreciate the role of civil society organizations in combating gender inequality; as such, organizations study the experience of women in the army, promote their contribution to military affairs, conduct educational activities, promote legislative changes, engage in advocacy and even provide material support.Ukraine’s army is gradually feminizing and the situation of women in the military is improving: the number of women in the army, including in combat and leadership positions, the existence of public discourse on women in the army, the absence of restrictions for women in the army at the legislative level, and the consideration of the needs of women in the military, as exemplified by the adoption of anatomical uniforms and the development of special protection for women. However, there are also many challenges that prevent women from joining the army or complicate their service: the condemnation of women soldiers and veterans by certain members of society, sexism in various forms, paternalism, violence and discrimination in the army itself, the lack of effective mechanisms to counteract them, and the conservatism of the military leadership, which is reluctant to make changes.