Cool response SDP proposal for mandatory national service for women

Centre Party MP:”Would women do care work without pay?”

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“I could become enthusiastic about the proposal only if Finnish women themselves expressed the idea - not when it comes from above”, says Timo Kalli, the chairman of the Centre Party Parliamentary Group, rejecting the possibility of making both men and women subject to mandatory national service of some kind. The idea has been put forward at a recent seminar on security policy held by the opposition Social Democratic Party.
      “The proposed compulsory national service for all must not be made a gender equality issue. Moreover, should women then do care work without pay?” Kalli asks, pointing out that as things stand, there is a need to lengthen working careers in Finland.
     
In fact, Anni Sinnemäki, the leader of the Green Leaque, recently proposed that even the compulsory military service for men should be reduced, as it delays the start of studies of men.
      MP Johanna Sumuvuori (Greens) is also in favour of selective, gender-neutral conscription that is voluntary for both men and women, saying that she is not willing to expand the present compulsory national defence.
      The National Coalition Party does not support the idea of expanding the current compulsory system, either.
      ”In a potential crisis, it is possible to find work for everyone without putting women under a separate obligation. The most important thing is that women have the option of voluntary military service”, says MP Hanna-Leena Hemming (National Coalition).
      ”Draft letters should also be sent to all women, and like in America, the Defence Forces should inform girls at schools about career opportunities for women”, Hemming suggests.
     
The present system also suits Ulla-Maj Wideroos, the chair of the Parliamentary Group of the Swedish People’s Party. ”There would also be some costs. I think that women would not opt for military service but care work”, Wideroos notes.
      Other opposition parties are not enthusiastic about the proposed compulsory conscription for both genders, either.
      ”I do not support any kind of compulsory service for men or women. We should rather expedite the employment of both genders”, says Annika Lapintie, the leader of the Left Alliance Parliamentary Group.
     
”All sorts of new ideas can be invented, but what kind of added value would this bring”, asks Parliamentary Group leader Bjarne Kallis (Christian Democratic Party).
     ”In principle, I support the equality of genders, but this proposal would lead to a rather militaristic policy”, said Raimo Vistbacka, the chairman of the Parliamentary group of the True Finns Party.
      ”Conscription that no longer seems meaningful should be reduced rather than expanded” declares Eekku Aromaa, the Secretary General of the Committee of 100 in Finland, one of Finland’s leading pacifist groups.
      ”We are pleased that the political parties finally have the courage to discuss the issue from a gender equality perspective, but we are not in favour of enlarged national service of any kind”, says Laura Lodenius, the Executive Director of the Peace Union of Finland, adding:”And for what purpose would all these people be needed?”


Previously in HS International Edition:
  SDP wants to place men and women on equal footing in conscription (17.2.2010)
  Poll: most Finns accept male-only conscription (12.5.2009)
  Researcher: “Male conscription discriminates against both men and women” (28.4.2009)
  Defence and equality ministers do not see male conscription as equality issue (28.4.2009)

Links:
  Committee 100 (Wikipedia)
  Peace Union of Finland

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