Defence and equality ministers do not see male conscription as equality issue

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Government ministers responsible for defence and equality do not see Finland’s system of universal male conscription as a violation of gender equality.
      Kari Uotila (Left Alliance), the chairman of the mail division of the Consultative Committee for Equality Affairs, has voiced the opinion that compulsory military service for only one gender is discriminatory and therefore illegal. The issue has been raised recently by other male equality advocates.
     
Finland’s Minister for Equality Affairs Stefan Wallin (Swedish People’s Party) says that he does not want to change the current system, even though he understands “that not everyone feels that it is equal if an obligation applies to only one gender."
      “What would be the alternative? This requires a broad-based approach. I have pondered this as both the equality minister, and as a captain of the reserves, and the present system is the best that is available.”
      According to Wallin, the number of conscripts, and the size of the reserves does not need to be expanded in both directions. He also feels that a professional army would not work for Finland, and it would be expensive. He also says that it would not be possible to arrange a credible defence on a volunteer basis.
      “The country’s security, and the coverage of state expenditure can never be based on voluntary contributions. The state needs taxes to be paid by everyone, and military service from men.”
      Arto Satonen (Nat. Coalition Party), the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Equality, also does not see military discrimination against men as a problem. “There is no point in making this an equality issue. National defence is more important.”
     
Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies (Nat. Coalition Party) takes the same view. “I have not noticed widespread support for the equality point of view, so we will continue on the basis of the present model.”
      Häkämies and Wallin would be ready to send draft letters to women, to inform women about their option of military service. However, both ministers would keep women’s military service voluntary.
     
The chairwoman of the Feminist Association Unioni, Henna Leppämäki, does see male conscription as an equality issue.
      “However, Unioni will not be the first to demand the abolition of conscription. I would hope that men would grab on to this. We will certainly support them.”
      Leena Ruusuvuori, Secretary-General of the National Council of Women of Finland, says that conscription can be seen to contain problems for gender equality.
      Ruusuvuori, who once opposed the current system of voluntary military service for women, nevertheless feels that the first priority should be to make the Defence Forces more equal, and only then to address the matter of conscription.

More on this subject:
 Researcher: “Male conscription discriminates against both men and women”

Helsingin Sanomat