Towards an effective gender integration in the armed forces: The case of the Colombian Army Military Academy

Abstract

The importance of gender integration in the armed forces is well-established in the scholarly literature, as it plays a vital role in conflict prevention and resolution, offering an innovative understanding of security issues. However, the discussion has omitted critical issues involving women's integration into militaries other than in developed countries, the military academies' role in fostering respect for women's rights, and the importance of ongoing gender-equality policy assessment. This article aims to broaden this discussion by focusing on the case of Colombia, a conflicted country whose military has extensive combat experience and where societal sexism, and prejudices remain prevalent. To this end, it examines the Army Military Academy (Escuela Militar de Cadetes General Jose Maria Cordova) and its gender-equality policy, Atenea. The statistical methods show that customary predictors of support for women used to study NATO and developed countries should be carefully used when exploring militaries in countries like Colombia, where individual biases associated with typecasts and traditionally male-dominated cultures usually restrict equal opportunities and support for women in the military profession. It finds the role of military academies significant in fostering cohesion and respect for women's rights, concluding that the ongoing evaluation of gender-equality policies and strategies is paramount to promoting and guaranteeing an egalitarian environment.