Nine countries that allow women in combat positions

by Wolverine Fri 21 Feb 2020, 3:14 pm

Nine countries that allow women in combat positions

Gayatri Vinayak Yahoo News - 21 February 2020

The Supreme Court recently passed a landmark judgement allowing permanent commission and command positions for women in the Armed Forces. While this is a huge leap forward in bringing gender parity to the Forces, the gender gap still remains high. Data from the Government reveals that as of 2018, there are only 3,653 women in the Armed Forces, as compared to 62,507 men. Further, the Court has remained silent on another pressing issue - that of allowing women in combat positions. While women are allowed in certain combat positions in the Navy and Air Force, the Army has not allowed women in combat.

A number of armies across the world have changed their laws to open all positions to women in the Armed Forces, including close combat. Here are nine nations that have women in combat positions.

United States:
The United States has the highest number of women serving in its armed forces. While women have always been a part of the various military conflicts that the country has been a part of, it was only during the World War I that they could enrol in non-nursing areas.

Israel:
Women were a part of combat during Israel's war of independence in 1948, however, it was only in 1985 that women were officially allowed to take up combat roles by the Israeli Defence Force. The Defence Force also stands out in its mandatory conscription of women.

Germany:
While women were exempt from direct combat action during the Nazi rule, many joined the men to serve in the Luftwaffe (now-disbanded aerial warfare branch). In 1975, the first women medical officers were inducted in the Medical Corps of the Bundeswehr

Australia:
During World War II, Australia created a sub-branch in each of its services, just for women. The combat restriction of servicewomen was eased in 1990 and the country began a five-year plan to induct women in combat positions in 2011, provided they cleared physical

Norway:
Norwegian women have been serving in the military since 1938, and women served across all branches of the military during World War II. However, political changes in 1947 confined women to clerical positions. A series of progressive legislations were passed by

New Zealand:
New Zealand integrated women into the Defence Forces in 1977 and opened doors across all its defense units, which includes infantry, armory and artillery units, in 2001. In 2012, 26-year-old Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, became the first New Zealand woman to be killed

Canada:
Canada opened decided to admit women to combat positions in 1989. In 2001, the ban on women serving aboard submarines was also lifted, allowing women to serve in all occupational positions. Women, however, constitute only 2.4 per cent of the combat units

France:
Women started off as cantinières in the French army in the 18th century where they were responsible for preparing meals for the soldiers. In 1914, the military started to recruit women as medical personnel. Their roles have expanded dramatically since, and roday

United Kingdom:
While women have been serving the British Armed Forces for many decades now, the ban on ground close combat was first lifted by the then Prime Minister David Cameron in November 2016. Women were allowed into the Royal Armoured Corps from November

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