Finnish CO seeks asylum in Belgium

[AMT]

Thanks for the education on the Finnish situation (and helping smack a little Americanism out of me when it comes to assuming rates of pay being competetive/non-competetive).

Still, regarding the conscription rates, is there a reason they don't add females to that? Cultural or other?

[Tiriol]

Thanks for the education on the Finnish situation (and helping smack a little Americanism out of me when it comes to assuming rates of pay being competetive/non-competetive).

Still, regarding the conscription rates, is there a reason they don't add females to that? Cultural or other?

Women have the option of entering the military service, a change that was implemented in 1990s (if I remember correctly, by Commander of Defence Forces General Gustav Hägglund; Minister of Defence Elisabeth Rehn; and President of the Republic Martti Ahtisaari). This is strictly voluntary and even then, after entering the military service, the women have 40 days of "trial time", during which they can leave without any repercussions or having to enter civil service (or going to jail).

As to why the women are not subject to the conscription: I believe that it has much to do with sheer inertia of society. Finnish women have been part of our war efforts for a long time (the fondly remembered Lotta Svärd organization is an apt example), but that has always been a voluntary position. One other thing that might prevent the women from being subjected to the conscription is the alleged physical unfitness of many women when compared to their men counterpart; as an anecdote, a female friend of mine who served at the same time as I (and who also got corporal's stripes) said that she was actually quite sure that most women wouldn't pass the physical part and/or the start of the military life. I also have a sneaking suspicion that some hidebound conservatism and chauvinism might still exist which would also have a detrimental effect on this.

However, I cannot be entirely sure about the reasons. As far as I know, there hasn't been any actual studies or research about this "female situation". However, our retiring Commander of Defence Forces did suggest a more open-minded approach to it, so maybe attitudes are slowly changing.