Denmark Expands Military Draft to Include Women Amid Rising Security Threats

The young soldier and the rest of her unit spent early June completing their final exercises near the Danish army’s barracks in Hovelte

With camouflage paint streaked across her face, 20-year-old Katrine surveyed a dense woodland north of Copenhagen during her final military training exercise—part of a growing movement to include women in Denmark’s national defense.

Katrine is one of several female recruits who volunteered for military service earlier this year. Until now, volunteering was the only way women could serve under Denmark’s conscription model, although they have been eligible to join the professional military since the 1970s. That’s changing under a landmark new law passed by Denmark’s parliament, extending compulsory military enlistment to women for the first time in the country’s history.

“In the situation the world is in now, it’s needed,” Katrine said. “I think it’s only fair and right that women participate equally with men.”

Under the new rules, Danish women who turn 18 after June 25, 2024, will be entered into a gender-neutral draft lottery, placing them on equal footing with men. The decision comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions across Europe, driven in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a renewed push by NATO members to reinforce their military capabilities.

“In the situation the world is in now, it’s needed,” said Katrine. “I think it’s only fair and right that women participate equally with men.”

Denmark’s gender-parity reforms were originally outlined in 2024 as part of a major defense agreement

The gender parity measure was first introduced as part of a sweeping defense agreement outlined in 2024 and was initially slated for 2027 implementation. But due to escalating global instability, Denmark has moved the rollout to the summer of 2025.

Col. Kenneth Strøm, head of the Danish conscription program, described the move as a strategic necessity in response to “the current security situation.” He emphasized that expanding the draft to women will enhance Denmark’s combat readiness and allow more troops to contribute to NATO’s collective deterrence.

The new arrangement is expected to bring the figure up to 6,500 people doing military service annually by 2033

Denmark, home to 6 million people, currently fields around 9,000 professional soldiers. In 2023, about 4,700 individuals completed military service. The updated program aims to increase that figure to 6,500 annually by 2033. While conscription remains voluntary, slots not filled by volunteers are assigned through a lottery—a system that until now only applied to men. In 2024, women volunteers accounted for approximately 25% of all conscripts.

The changes also include an extension in the length of service. Instead of the current four-month requirement, conscripts will now serve 11 months, consisting of five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service and specialized lessons.

Anne Sofie, another female volunteer, noted that reactions among future draftees may vary. “Some will probably be very disappointed being chosen to go into the military,” she said. “Some will probably be surprised and like it a lot more than they think they would.”

Conscripts will first spend five months in basic training, followed by six months of operational service, plus additional lessons

Denmark’s broader defense expansion includes a $7 billion military investment fund aimed at raising defense spending to over 3% of GDP by the end of 2024. The conscription program’s expansion is partially financed through this Acceleration Fund.

The push aligns Denmark with other Nordic countries such as Sweden, which reintroduced a gender-neutral draft in 2017, and Norway, which applied mandatory service to both sexes beginning in 2013.

Despite the progress, challenges remain. Researcher Rikke Haugegaard of the Royal Danish Defense College pointed to logistical hurdles like ill-fitting equipment, limited housing infrastructure, and the potential for sexual harassment. She noted that new facilities will be built over the coming years to accommodate the expanded force, describing the implementation as a gradual process.

“The sharpened security situation in Europe, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and Denmark’s commitments in the Baltic region all contribute to this general effort to strengthen Danish defense,” Haugegaard said.

For Katrine and many others, the reform is not just a policy shift—it’s a commitment to equality and national responsibility in uncertain times.