WOMEN IN ARMED FORCES

WOMEN IN ARMED FORCES

Women role in the armed forces are always a controversial issue. India being a patriarchal society and masculinity associated with armed forces has been a roadblock in associating women in country safety issues. There is a need for greater analysis of the issue to make female genders more inclusive.

Historical Background

1. Indian Military Nursing Service: With the formation of the “Indian Military Nursing Service” in 1888, the role of women in the Indian Armed Forces began to take shape.
2. Role in WWI and WWII: During 1914-45, British Indian Army nurses fought in World War I (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45), where 350 nurses either died or were taken prisoner of war or declared missing in action.
   • Special mention: One member of the corps, Noor Inayat Khan, served with distinction as a spy, acquiring a legendary status for her service during World War II.
3. Expansion of role: The role of women in the Indian Armed Forces was further expanded with the formation of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps in 1942, which allowed them to serve in primarily non-combatant roles like communications, accounting, administration, etc.
4. Rani of Jhansi Regiment: Although the British Indian Army was limited to women towards what were mainly non-combatant roles, it was not the case with the Azad Hind Fauj founded by S.C. Bose. There was a women’s regiment named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment which saw active combat when it fought along with the Imperial Japanese Army in Burma.
5. Commissioning of women: Women officers were commissioned in Army, Air force and Navy as short service commission (SSC) officers for a period of five years in certain chosen streams under the Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) in 1992. This was the first time women were allowed to join the military outside the medical stream.
6. Expansion of tenure: In 2006, the WSES scheme was replaced with the SSC (short service commission) scheme and women were commissioned for a period of 10 years, extendable up to 14 years.
7. 2015 Year of Reckoning: That year, the Indian Air Force for the first time decided to induct women into the fighter wing. The Indian Navy followed suit, opening up multiple avenues for women in recent years, and India’s first naval women were commissioned as pilots of the Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft in the year 2016.
8. Quantum leap: In November 2020, approximately 70% of women officers were considered for permanent commission in the Indian Army, which in itself speaks volumes about India Inc’s eagerness to make space for those wannabe women warriors.

Current Incidents

• SC order: Recently, in a landmark judgment, the SC has upheld a Delhi High Court order of 2010 that seeks to grant permanent commission to women officers at par with their male counterparts. Along with granting a role to women in combat arms, the judgment essentially highlights the denial of equal opportunity in their existing roles for promotion to higher commands.
• SC allowed for NDA exam: In an interim order, the Supreme Court allowed women candidates to sit for the NDA entrance exam, saying the “policy decision” to bar them was “based on gender discrimination”. This followed its February 2020 order to grant permanent commission to women Short Service Commission officers in the Army.

Need of Women in Armed Forces

1. Strategical

• Changes in Nature of War: With changes in technologies, the nature of conventional war has also changed. Consequently, issues related to Prisoners of Wars has decreased a lot. The doors must be kept open for the women, and if they are suitable on the basis of objective criteria, they should be enrolled.
• Stronger Armed Force: The verdict will ensure that regardless of gender, the potential of the best of India’s youth will be utilized in its Armed Forces.
• Special ability: Women are more effective in some circumstances than men. Allowing women to serve doubles the talent pool for delicate and sensitive jobs that require interpersonal skills, not every soldier has.
• Better adaptability: Women encourage participation and share power and information as they have learnt this since their childhood, and yet are ruthless when the situation demands.
• Effectiveness: The blanket restriction for women limits the ability of commanders in theatre to pick the most capable person for the job.

2. Social

• Women Empowerment: Earlier women were not allowed in the Permanent Commission, which had created a glass ceiling. That ceiling has now been shattered with a Supreme Court ruling allowing permanent commission for women.
• Gender is not a Hindrance: As long as an applicant is qualified for a position, one’s gender is arbitrary. In the modern high technology battlefield, technical expertise and decision-making skills are increasingly more valuable than simple brute strength.

• For example: Lieutenant Colonel Mitali Madhumita and IAF squad leader Minty Agarwal are examples of women who stand as a testament to the capabilities of women in commanding positions.

3. Political

• Equality of Opportunity: Without giving the command role to women, we cannot analyze that they are not competent. It is a denial of an opportunity.
• Uphold Right to Equality: Articles 14, 15, 16 and 19 of the Constitution, which uphold the values of equality and allow equal, non-discriminatory opportunities at work, were being violated by denying eligible women the opportunity.

4. International

• Global Scenario: When women officially became eligible for combat positions in the American military in 2013, it was widely hailed as another step towards the equality of sexes. In 2018, the UK military lifted a ban on women serving in close combat ground roles, clearing the way for them to serve in elite special forces.

Challenges of Women Role in Armed Forces

1. Physical

• Capabilities difference: Although women are equally capable, if not more capable than men, there might be situations that could affect the capabilities of women such as absence during pregnancy and catering to the responsibilities of motherhood, etc.
• Physical Ability: There are some roles to which women are just not physically suited. The standards of physical fitness have been set to suit men, and women attempting to reach them will over-stretch themselves.
• Difference in training: A role in combat would require tough training, whereas the current training for women is different and at a much lower level than that of their male counterparts.
• Masculinity adjustment: Indian society is more seen as patriarchal, without challenging the notions of masculinity in armed forces, can hardly be seen as “gender advancement”.
• Earning of parity: In order to succeed within the army, women are forced to deride their femininity and work harder than men to establish parity in the eyes of their counterparts.

2. Ethical

• Ethical problem: Sexual harassment faced by women military officers is a global phenomenon that remains largely unaddressed, and women often face retaliation when they do complain.
  • For example: A relatively small 2015 study, which questioned 450 members of the armed forces on sexual discrimination in their workplace, found that sexual harassment is rampant in the military.
• Lack of acceptance: The only way to command is to show the lower ranks that the orders are fair and just, both in spirit and action. Acceptance of women in the military has not been smooth in any country. Every country has to contend with sceptics who consider it to be a counterproductive programme.
• Double-edged sword: Women, in general, are confused about the way they should conduct themselves. If they behave lady-like, their acceptance amongst male colleagues is low. On the other hand, their active participation in casual repartee carries the danger of their losing colleagues’ respect.

3. Strategical

• Affect efficiency: Some women will be able to meet the required standards, but most will not. While the integration of women into combat is possible for those qualified, the small number versus the additional logistical, regulatory and disciplinary costs associated with integration do not make it a worthwhile move.
• Tradition nature of men: In some situations, men may act foolishly to protect women in their combat units. Harassment and resentment of the presence of women in a hyper-masculine military subculture would likely become a problem.
• Fear of sexual misconduct: Both male and female prisoners are at risk of torture and rape, but misogynistic societies may be more willing to abuse woman prisoners.
• Morale & Cohesion: Having women serving in direct combat will hamper mission effectiveness by hurting unit morale and cohesion.

4. Social

• Women inclusion illusion: Women’s inclusion is criticized as just another maneuver to camouflage women’s subjugation and service as women’s liberation. Using the illusion of gender progressiveness within the army to shame populations for their gender inequities, brand them as backwards and use this to justify military control.
• Family imbalance: Centre said that armed forces require sacrifices and commitment beyond the call of duty by the entire family of service personnel involving separation and frequent transfers, affecting the education of children and career prospects of the spouse.
• Unnecessary affirmative actions: Understanding that different roles require different physical and emotional attributes. This should mean in turn that there are multiple routes to promotion so that women have equal opportunities without having to fight or take part in combat operations.

5. Psychological and Health

• Lack of job satisfaction: Many women complain that despite their technical qualifications, they are generally detailed for perceived women-like jobs. Either they get routine desk work or are asked to perform duties related to social minutiae.
• Non-conducive environment: The profession of arms is all about violence and brutality. They tend to acquire a streak of raw ruthlessness and coarseness. This makes the environment highly non-conducive and rough for women.
• Health and privacy: The natural processes of menstruation and pregnancy make women particularly vulnerable in combat situations. Such positions usually leave the commanding officer with no privacy and during adverse situations, the lack of sanitation can have an impact on their health.

International Scenario

• United States of America: The United States is considered a pioneer and a trendsetter as regards the induction of women in the services. There are approximately 200,000 American women on active duty in the US armed forces. They constitute nearly 20 per cent of its strength.
• Israel: Though Israel has conscription for women (as well as men), a large number of them are exempted for various reasons. Women are generally not allotted active battlefield duties. They serve in many technical and administrative posts to release men for active duty.
• Australia: In the Australian Army, women are still not allowed in the field/battle.
• Russia: In Russia, women generally serve in nursing, communications and logistic support functions.

• Pakistan: Like all Islamic states, Pakistan does not permit women in the armed forces. It is feared that women would create a distraction and cause disruption of internal order.
• Saudi Arabia: Recently, Saudi Arabia has opened up the armed forces for Women. Women will now be recruited as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants.

Examples of Women in Forces 

All of the examples that are quoted have only been possible because these ladies were given a chance.

• Lt Col. Mitali Madhumita: She was awarded the Sena Medal and thus became the only lady army officer to get a Gallantry Award for her act of valour in Kabul in 2011.
• Capt. Aswathy Ganpath: Being the only lady amongst thousands of men, Capt. Aswathy Ganpath was heading jawans who were much older than her in Ladakh, a high-altitude field posting which isn’t an easy tenure.
• Lt. General (Mrs.) Punita Arora: Of the Army Medical Core is the first woman Lt. General of the Indian Army. She also saw a tough tenure in Fatehgarh in 1968, as at that time dacoits were all over the place.
• Sea expedition: Cmdr Gutta Sowjanya Sree and Lt Vartika Joshi from the Navy and Asst Cmdt Vasundhara Chouksey from the Coast Guard have braved the rough seas between Chennai and Kochi as part of an expedition aboard the INSV Mhadei under the leadership of Commander Dilip Donde.
• Bhawana Kanth: Became the first woman fighter pilot to qualify for undertaking combat missions.
• Gunjan Saxena: Who was among the first to fly in a combat zone during Kargil War showcases what the Armed Forces have been missing.

Way Forward

• Support from society: Misleading information such as using the patriarchal nature of the society as an excuse to deny women their deserving opportunities should be stopped. India has come a long way, and society should be supportive of women being inducted into combat roles.
• All-women combat squadron: So far as combatant roles are concerned, an all-women combat squadron should be designed and studied extensively before any further development or decisions are made.
• Equal training: The training provided to men and women should be similar to eliminate differentiation on the basis of physical standards.
• Conducive infrastructure: It is the responsibility of the Government to create both administrative and social infrastructure for the easy induction of women into the Armed Forces. Administrative issues should not be cited as a barrier to women’s entry in the Armed Forces.
• Policy and framework: The framework for the induction of women should be incorporated into a policy. As for the concern of preserving the female officers’ modesty and dignity, there should be elaborate codes of conduct to ensure no adverse incident occurs.
• Defence personnel mindset: Defence readiness is one major aspect that is required to be borne in mind throughout while considering their employability options. The career aspects and opportunities for women need to be viewed holistically keeping the final aim in focus.
• Separation of polity and defence: Finally, no decision should be taken which even remotely affects the cohesiveness and efficiency of the military. Concern for equality of sexes or political expediency should not influence defence policies.