Women to be able to serve in all units of Estonian Defence Forces
More women than before will be able to enter conscript service in Estonia, and the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) will open all units to women.
Minister of Defence Jüri Luik (IRL) signed a bill on Friday according to which more women will receive the opportunity to enter conscript service than ever before, spokespeople for the Minsitry of Defence said.
"The goal is to expand opportunities for enlisting women in conscript service, and to allow them to complete conscript service in the same units as the male conscripts," Luik said.
Next year, up to 108 women will be able to enter conscript service.
Women have been allowed to enter conscript service in Estonia since 2013, and since then the number of women to sign up for conscript service has doubled — from 15 in 2013 to 33 in 2016. This year, up to 91 women can enter conscript service; thus far, 27 have done so.
A total of 3,200 people are planned to enter conscript service in 2019.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS
