gender and militarism

Since 2016, US Congress has been having an extended debate to expand the current draft registration to women. However, it decided to delay its decision and assigned a Military, National, and Public Service Commission (NCMNPS) to study this issue. In March of this year, the National Commission presented its final report in which it recommended to extend the draft registration to women. There are two bills pending in the Congress at the moment: to end draft registration and abolish the Selective Service System or to implement the National Commission recommendations including requiring women to register for the draft.

This article by Cynthia Cockburn was originally published in the April 2010 issue of the Broken Rifle. We are republishing it in memory of beloved Cynthia Cockburn who passed away on 12th September 2019.

Binary gender, white supremacy, heteronormativity and heteropatriarchy are the inevitable outgrowths of capitalism and colonization. For these reasons, it is a mistake to look at inclusion in the military as a milestone of what our movements can achieve.

As towns and whole countries shut down in order to “flatten the curve” of outbreaks of the coronavirus, we are at risk of choosing the wrong analogy for what we collectively need to do in these perilous times. “Waging a war” is the most deceptively alluring analogy for mobilizing private and public resources to meet a present danger. We should, however, resist that allure.

We are marking International Women's Day, on the 8th of March, by publishing a special edition of The Broken Rifle magazine reflecting on the role of women in our antimilitarist campaigning, and the links between gender and our peace work. 

For the April 2020 issue of our Broken Rifle magazine, we would like to reflect on the role of women in our antimilitarist campaigning, and the links between gender and our peace work. Would you like to contribute?

Finnish government has made a proposal that involves introducing civilian service for women. Although, some options will be evaluated by a parliamentary working group, a decision might not be taken until the next parliament in four years.

On 26-28 May, activists from Greece, Israel, Russia, Turkey, and Cyprus (both south and north) gathered in Nicosia (Cyprus) for a 3-day training, Gender and Countering Youth Militarisation, organised by War Resisters' International. During the training, participants explored gendered dimensions of youth militarisation within their societies as well as discussing how to work internationally to counter these processes.

Tightening the Purse Strings: What Countering Terrorism Financing Costs Gender Equality and Security, was published by our affiliate the Women Peacemakers Program along with the International Human Rights Clinic at Duke University, in March this year. It analyses how countering terrorism financing rules impact women’s rights organising, women’s rights organisations, and gender equality.

Young women in Switzerland may be obliged to attend an 'information day' about military service from 2020, according to Swiss media. The move comes as part of the Swiss military's plans to encourage more young people to join the army.

Colectiva Reparando Ausencias (Repairing Absences Group)

"We need them Because they were willing to love, they dressed up, all they wanted was to be happy as in fairy tales and they were unaware that many times they end like horror stories. Because they loved their neighbour - a neighbour - more than themselves. They obeyed the mandate to endure, to hope for love to change him, they abided solemnly "until death do us part".

Ferrovial is a Spanish multinational company, with a broad range of interests - they are involved in the construction of the Gugenheim Museum in Bilbao, the construction of the M3 motorway in Ireland, and manage toll roads across Europe. Ferrovial owns 90% of the company Broadspectrum, which runs Australia's offshore immigration detention centres in Papua New Guinea.