19/11/2022

Relevance: GS-1: Women Empowerment and related Issues.

Relevance: GS-3: Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.

Key Phrases: Armed Forces, Short-service commission, Permanent Commission, Combat Role, Sexual misconduct, Gender progressiveness, Societal Impact.

Context:

• Recently, The Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to consider granting Permanent Commission to 32 retired women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers based on their suitability with the purpose of giving them pensionary benefits.

Key Highlights:

• There are 9,118 women currently serving the army, navy and air force.
• Women comprise only 3.8% of the world's second-largest army - compared to 13% of the air force and 6% of the navy.

Constraints for Women:

• Capabilities of women
  • There might be situations that could affect the capabilities of women such as absence during pregnancy and catering to the responsibilities of motherhood, etc.
• Fear of sexual misconduct
  • Sexual harassment faced by women military officers is a global phenomenon which remains largely unaddressed, and women often face retaliation when they do complain.
• Gender progressiveness could be an illusion
  • There are several factors behind the decision to include women in the forces, including 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.
• Battle 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.
• Job Satisfaction
  • Most women feel that their competence is not given due recognition. Seniors tend to be over-indulgent without valuing their views.
  • They are generally marginalized and not involved in any major decision-making. They have to work twice as hard as men to prove their worth. Additionally, a woman is always under scrutiny for even minor slip-ups.
• Societal Impact
  • The government has argued that if a woman is taken captive by insurgents/terrorists or as a Prisoner of War (PoW) by an enemy state, then it would become an international and deeply emotive issue which could have an impact on the society.
• Physical and Physiological Issues
  • The natural physical differences in stature, strength, and body composition between the sexes make women more vulnerable to certain types of injuries and medical problems.
  • The vigorous training might also have an effect on the health of women officers.
  • The natural processes of menstruation and pregnancy make women particularly vulnerable in combat situations.
• Comfort Level
  • Most women accepted the fact that their presence amongst males tends to make the environment ‘formal and stiff’.
  • The mutual comfort level between men and female colleagues is often very low.
  • Men miss their light-hearted banter which is considered essential to release work tensions and promote group cohesion.
    • They consider women to be intruding on their privacy.

Significance:

• As long as an applicant is qualified for a position, one’s gender is arbitrary.
  • In modern high technology battlefield technical expertise and decision-making skills are increasingly more valuable than simple brute strength.
  • Allowing a mixed gender force keeps the military strong. The armed forces are severely troubled by falling retention and recruitment rates. This can be addressed by allowing women in the combat role.
• The blanket restriction for women limits the ability of commanders in theater to pick the most capable person for the job.
• Training will be required to facilitate the integration of women into combat units. Cultures change over time and the masculine subculture can evolve too.

Way Forward:

• 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.
• So far combatant roles are concerned, an all-women combat squadron should be conceived.
• The training provided to men and women should be similar to eliminate differentiation designed and studied extensively before any further development or decisions are made on the basis of physical standards.
• It is the responsibility of the Government to create both administrative and social infrastructure for the easy induction of women into the Armed Forces.
• 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.

Conclusion:

• Defense readiness is one major aspect which 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.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. “Increasing women participation in the armed forces gives us both sides of the coin”. Critically analyse the statement. (150 Words).