Prompted by military threats from Russia, Denmark has recently passed a new conscription law, officially including women in its military draft for the first time. From July 1, 2025, Danish women, upon turning 18, will be entered into the draft lottery. If selected, they are to serve in the military for 11 months, just as men do. Not only has this decision attracted international attention, but it has also sparked discussions on gender, equality and national defense.
Although Denmark’s reform appears to promote gender equality, it primarily responds to regional instability and the need to strengthen national defense. With growing fears that the war in Ukraine could trigger a wider conflict across Europe, Denmark found it urgent to act. The government emphasizes this shift is not a show of aggression, but a measure to prevent war and meet NATO’s expectations for higher readiness among all its members.
Denmark’s initiative is not without precedent. In recent years, countries like Norway and Sweden have expanded conscription to include women, viewing it as a step toward modernizing forces and social equality. In Israel, compulsory service for both sexes has become widely acknowledged as indispensable for survival due to ongoing external threats. Such examples demonstrate how global defense strategies are shaped by both practical necessity and changing social expectations.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik
For Taiwan, which contends with persistent security threats and a rapidly aging population, female conscription has long been a topic of public debate. Promising as the idea may seem, significant challenges remain. While expanding the draft could strengthen personnel and defense awareness, outdated infrastructure, insufficient barracks, and risks of harassment or gender-based discrimination cannot be overlooked. Moreover, without substantial funding and public consensus, such a policy would face considerable barriers to implementation. Only by confronting these issues can Taiwan determine whether female conscription would truly benefit the defense of its society.
在俄羅斯軍事威脅的推動下，丹麥近日通過一項新的徵兵法，首次正式將女性納入徵兵範圍。自西元 2025 年 7 月 1 日起，年滿 18 歲的丹麥女性將會被列入徵兵抽籤名單。如果被抽中，她們需服役 11 個月，就如同男性一樣。這項決定不僅引起國際關注，也激發了關於性別、平等與國防的討論。
雖然丹麥的改革看似推動性別平等，但主要是為了因應區域的不穩定局勢與強化國防的需求。隨著對烏克蘭戰爭可能在歐洲引爆更大範圍衝突的擔憂日益升高，丹麥認為有必要立即採取行動。政府強調這項轉變並非為了展現侵略意圖，而是為了防止戰爭，並達到北約對所有成員國提高戰備水準的期望所採取的措施。
丹麥的做法並非史無前例。近年來，挪威與瑞典等國已擴大徵兵制度將女性納入其中，視此舉為邁向軍隊現代化與社會平等的一步。在以色列，由於持續的外部威脅，男女皆需服義務役已被公認為是確保生存所不可或缺的。這些例子彰顯出全球的國防策略如何受到實際需求和不斷變化的社會期望所塑造。
對於面臨持續安全威脅和人口快速老化的臺灣而言，女性徵兵長久以來都是公眾熱議的話題。儘管此想法看似具有前景，但仍有重大挑戰存在。雖然擴大徵召可以強化人力與國防意識，但老舊的基礎設施、不足的營房，以及性騷擾或性別歧視的風險也不容忽視。此外，若缺乏充足的經費與社會共識，這樣的政策在推行上將面臨相當大的阻礙。唯有正視這些問題，臺灣才能確定女性徵兵制是否真正有益於其國家社會的防衛。
MORE INFORMATION
conscription n. 徵兵
Danish adj. 丹麥的
NATO n. 北大西洋公約組織（North Atlantic) Treaty Organization 的縮寫，為西元 1949 年成立的軍事聯盟，以「一國遭攻即視同全體遭攻」的集體防禦為核心，多簡稱北約）
precedent n. 先例；前例
outdated adj. 過時的；老舊的
insufficient adj. 不足的；不充分的
barracks n. 兵營；營房（恆用複數）
KEY VOCABULARY
1. lottery n. 抽籤；彩券；碰運氣的事
Due to limited seats, the concert tickets were given out through a lottery system.
因座位有限，演唱會門票透過抽籤方式分配。
2. trigger v. 觸發；引起
The burglar alarm will be triggered when someone walks through the laser beam.
當有人走過雷射光線時，防盜警報器會被觸發。
3. modernize v.（使）現代化
The government modernized the country’s Internet connections by installing new cables everywhere.
政府藉由在各處安裝新的電纜使國家的網路連接現代化。
4. compulsory adj. 義務的；強制的
Compulsory education laws in the US require children to receive an education until the age of 16.
美國的義務教育法要求兒童接受教育直到 16 歲。
external adj. 外部的；表面的
You should just clean the external part of your ears—don’t stick anything inside them.
你應該只清潔耳朵的外部——不要塞任何東西到耳朵裡。
6. harassment n. 騷擾
There will be a training session tomorrow on preventing workplace harassment.
明天將有一場關於防止職場騷擾的培訓課程。
7. discrimination n. 歧視；差別對待
The company was fined for discrimination against older applicants in its hiring process.
該公司因在招募過程中歧視年長求職者而被罰款。
8. substantial adj. 大量的；可觀的
Whoever finds the missing diamonds will receive a substantial reward from the owner.
尋獲遺失鑽石的人將可得到失主可觀的獎賞。
9. implementation n. 實施；執行
Successful implementation of the plan requires teamwork and clear communication.
成功執行這項計畫需要團隊合作與清楚的溝通。
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