Panel 4: Women in the Armed Forces – Growing Militarization or Gender Diversity as a Strategic Advantage?

Modern threats demand adaptive and inclusive institutions. Across the world, women are increasingly present in armed forces not only as soldiers but as officers, strategists, and institutional leaders. Armed forces that embrace gender diversity and reflect the full spectrum of its society is more resilient, legitimate, and strategically capable. Yet this evolution also prompts important and complex questions: Does gender diversity in the military strengthen national security? Does it reflect meaningful inclusion or reactive militarization in response to crisis? What do gender-responsive armed forces look like in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

This panel will examine how women’s inclusion in defence and military decision-making can enhance operational effectiveness, institutional legitimacy, and democratic accountability. It will also reflect on the challenges of integrating gender perspectives into traditionally male-dominated structures and the risks of symbolic inclusion without structural reform. The conversation will be grounded at the intersection of gender, defence policy, military culture, and security sector reform.

Panelists will examine:

• How the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda applies in Armenia`s defense reform, training, recruitment, and oversight, alongside comparative insights from international partners 
• The strategic advantage of inclusive armed forces from improved unit cohesion to more diverse leadership and decision-making
• The risks of tokenism, gender stereotyping, and the militarization of women`s roles during conflicts