Military Women. The Achilles Heal in Defense Politics?

One measure proposed in White Paper No. 36 was to undertake research amongst enrolled cohorts from the current Joint Selection Process for General Conscription and onwards. Based on this work, carried out at Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), this anthology aims to give some answers to why NorAF are unable to increase its female content. Military women – The Achilles Heel in Defence Politics? follows different age cohorts over time through the NorAF career path, from recruitment to retention, particular with a view on today’s challenges. At the end of the anthology some corresponding and strategic measures are suggested in order to increase the share of military women.

Principal Scientist Frank Brundtland Steder at FFI is the editor of the anthology which also holds significant contributions from the Norwegian Defence University College, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences/Defence Institute (NIH/F), the Military Academy (KS), Steria, Eastern Norway Research Institute (ØF) and the Norwegian Armed Forces HR and Conscription Center (FPVS).

White Paper No. 36 “Increased recruitment of military women” (2006–2007) set a goal for the military to comprise 20 percent women by the year 2020. However, the proportion of women is still lower than the average in NATO – and remains at a stable 8–9 percent. Why is the Norwegian Armed Forces (NorAF) unable to reach its goal regarding female participation, and how will it succed in doing so?

Principal Scientist Frank Brundtland Steder at FFI is the editor of the anthology which also holds significant contributions from the Norwegian Defence University College, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences/Defence Institute (NIH/F), the Military Academy (KS), Steria, Eastern Norway Research Institute (ØF) and the Norwegian Armed Forces HR and Conscription Center (FPVS).
The book is an english translation of the book Militære kvinner, published in 2013 also at Abstrakt forlag.