No mandatory military duty for women

[kiwi]

No mandatory military duty for women
Defense Minister Anne-Grete Str?m-Erichsen has lost her battle to force young Norwegian women into military service. She was, however, able to unveil a proposed increase in Norway's defense budget on Friday.

Defense Minister Anne-Grete Str?m-Erichsen, shown here with military chief Sverre Diesen, is getting a bigger budget but not female conscription.


There have been regular calls over the years for women to report for duty just like Norwegian males must do, once they turn 18. Norway is, after all, a champion of equal rights for women. With those rights, argue many, come duties.

Str?m-Erichsen, faced with a shortage of military personnel, has been keen on drafting women into the military. Colleagues in Norway's left-centre government, split over conscription for women, have now decided to drop the proposal.

Newspaper Dagsavisen reported Friday that Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of the Labour Party opposes female conscription, as do Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen of the Socialist Left and new government minister Anniken Huitfeldt.

While some high-profile government ministers backed Str?m-Erichsen's desire to reduce male domination in the military, there wasn't enough support for the proposal. Now women will continue to be called in for screening (sesjonsplikt), just like men are, but won't be forced to serve (verneplikt) if selected.

The government has, however, proposed boosting the nation?s defense budget by 2.5 percent. "The government recommends strengthening defense," said Str?m-Erichsen. "This is a plan for building up defense, not cutting it back."

Norway's defense budget for 2008 amounted to NOK 31.5 billion (USD 6.3 billion at current exchange rates). The proposed increase will add NOK 800 million.

Norway is a member of NATO and recently has had troops in Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Balkans. US officials have been urging Norway to boost its military spending.

Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund/NTB