The Danish Parliament unanimously passed a bill for mandatory military service for women on Wednesday. Until now, conscription in Denmark has only applied to men, with women serving voluntarily. The Danish government expedited this legislative agenda due to the changing security situation in Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to the new law, starting July 1 this year, Danish women turning 18 will be included in the pool of candidates for service in 2026, but not all women of the same age will be called up. Similar to 18-year-old men, if the number of volunteers is insufficient, a lottery will be used to select from the remaining individuals.

Current figures from the Danish military indicate that women now make up 25% of all voluntary soldiers in Denmark. Additionally, from August this year, the service period will extend from the current four months to eleven months, a decision made last year. With this move, Denmark becomes the third Nordic country, after Norway and Sweden, to introduce mandatory military service for women.

Other countries that implement gender-equal conscription include Israel, while Asian countries like Myanmar, East Timor, and North Korea also require women to serve. In many African countries, women are also obligated to serve in the military. However, in most countries around the world, military service for women remains voluntary.