Is it Possible to Increase the Share of Military Women in the Norwegian Armed Forces?

Abstract

Ever since Norway introduced general conscription for men in 1897, the participation of women in the Norwegian Armed Forces (NorAF) has been an issue for discussion. In 1984 the NorAF introduced occupational equality for men and women. This means that women have the same possibilities and rights as men in the whole organization. However, the share of women in the NorAF (9%) has not increased over the years, and the goal of 20% seems to be hard to reach. Based on data from the project ―Research on age cohorts for the NorAF‖, this paper presents the concept, theory and empirically based hypotheses behind nine initiatives that I believe will contribute to a substantial increase in the number of women in the NorAF. The initiatives are a combination of short-term, long-term, preventive and drastic measures. The author argues that the suggested measures will affect future recruitment, retention, military (masculine) culture and the selection process of military personnel to the NorAF