Women’s Access to Military Education in the Context of State Policy for Ensuring Gender Equality

The article clarifies the prerequisites for women’s access to military education, which include: institutionalization of the principles of gender equality and security discourse, development and implementation of international regulatory and legal documents, and changing public perceptions of the role of women in the security sector. For the successful integration of women into military education, it is important to implement a state policy of equal rights and opportunities for women and men, as well as a gender-sensitive approach. The successes and challenges of women’s access to military education worldwide are summarized in the context of state policies on gender equality.The empirical material of the article consists of the results of a content analysis of 66 materials from open data sources from 13 military educational institutions around the world regarding women’s access to military education. The successes and challenges of the accessibility of military education for women were identified, with a focus on a gender-sensitive educational environment. On the one hand, military higher education institutions strive to support the visibility of women, provide them with equal rights and opportunities in education and professional growth, and develop and implement policies promoting equality and combating sexual violence. On the other hand, the challenges of women’s access to military education include the lack of a clear strategy for overcoming gender inequality, a limited number of programs or opportunities for women’s visibility, and either the lack or incomplete implementation of adapted living conditions. Some institutions do not pay enough attention to combating sexual harassment, limit women’s access to certain types of activities, and do not implement specialized mechanisms to support women’s leadership in the defense sector.The analysis revealed that the field of military education is gradually transforming towards creating a gender-sensitive and inclusive space. The presence of equality policies and support for women requires a systemic approach at the state level to overcome institutional gender segregation, the inconsistency of formal equality with actual conditions, and the elimination of practical barriers.