Swedish Women in Military Face Critical Equipment Challenges Hindering Recruitment

Since women were allowed to serve in the Swedish military in 1989, their participation has dropped significantly. While the Defense Forces aim for 30% female conscripts, only 17% currently enlist. This decline is partly attributed to inadequate military gear designed without women's needs in mind, particularly the underwear, which is ill-fitting and causes discomfort and injuries.

Johan Landeström, marketing chief of the Swedish Defense Forces, highlighted that the recruitment challenge is a societal issue but acknowledged the urgent need to address these equipment shortcomings. Despite the 2020 launch of the "Jämställd materialförsörjning" project to develop gender-appropriate gear, women still struggle with unsuitable underwear. At Gotlands regemente, female soldiers now buy their own underwear due to the military’s inadequate supply.

Commentator Josefin Olevik emphasized that without properly designed underwear, women cannot effectively serve, underscoring the importance of recognizing physical differences and fulfilling promised improvements to boost recruitment and well-being. The commentary calls on the military to better understand and accommodate female soldiers’ specific needs to reverse the decline in women willing to defend Sweden, stressing that solving these issues is essential for meeting equality and defense goals.