Gender equality is vital to our shared security.
Yet there are still too few women in leadership roles. The EU supports inclusive security. But gender gaps remain in the armed forces and emergency services, weakening their effectiveness.
Women are largely absent from top-level security decision-making
In 2023, only seven of the 27 EU defence ministers were women. This reduces women’s influence on security. Research shows diverse leadership leads to better governance, increased public trust, and more durable peace processes.
EIGE recommendations
- Raise women’s numbers in high-profile roles. That means defence ministers, committee members, and senior military ranks.
Women remain a small minority in Europe’s armed forces
Across EU NATO countries, women make up just 11% of full-time armed forces personnel. In most countries, the share is even lower, with only four Member States (France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium) exceeding 15%.
EIGE recommendations
- Address exclusionary practices.
- Provide regular gender equality training for the armed forces.
- Enforce zero tolerance towards sexual harassment and abuse.
Law-enforcement is dominated by men
Women are still under-represented in law enforcement, accounting for just 30% of prison staff and 20% of police officers.
EIGE recommendations
- Carry out gender impact assessments on security policies to cut gender-based risks.
- Consider gender quotas for top roles.
