Fewer women volunteer for military

Women are excluded from Finland's conscription system but can still volunteer for military service.

Conscripts stand in formation.
Image: Tiina Jutila / Yle
  • Yle News

A total of 1,448 women voluntarily signed up for military service in 2025, reflecting a drop of around 100 individuals from the previous year.

The past four years have each seen more than 1,500 female applicants annually.

This year marks 30 years since the first Finnish women completed military service. To date, the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) and Border Guard have trained more than 14,000 female volunteers.

Women can volunteer to serve in all branches of the FDF and in all service positions. Since 2020, at some bases, men and women have been housed in the same barracks.

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