Taiwan Plans to Mandate Military Reserve Training for Women: Scholars Say 'Original Unit Return' Policy Advances Gender Equality

According to a report by Central News Agency journalist Yu Kai-hsiang from Taipei on the 23rd, women's education召集 (military reserve training) is currently voluntary. However, the Ministry of National Defense has begun revising relevant regulations to fully include women in reserve education召集. In a special report submitted to the Legislative Yuan titled 'Fairness in Education召集 System, Combat-Readiness Training Effectiveness for Reserve Personnel, and Supporting Measures for Female Training,' the Ministry stated it is amending the 'Army, Navy, and Air Force Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers Service Regulations' and the 'Volunteer Soldiers Service Regulations.' Once these bills are passed and promulgated, female reserve personnel will be incorporated into reserve management and召集 procedures according to the revised regulations.

Chieh Chung, a scholar at the Ministry of Defense-affiliated think tank, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, stated that this reform direction is correct. Female officers and NCOs currently make up about 13% of the total military personnel—a non-negligible proportion. Their service is not limited to administrative or logistics units; many serve in frontline combat units. Since they are integral members during active service, they should not be entirely excluded from education召集 after discharge.

Chieh emphasized that current reserve mobilization emphasizes 'full mobilization' and 'original unit return'—prioritizing the recall of recently discharged personnel back to their original units to rapidly restore combat strength. This principle should naturally apply to female veterans as well. However, he stressed that when including women in召集, their military specialties during service must remain the core consideration to effectively utilize their capabilities.

Su Tzu-yun, Director of the Institute's Strategic and Resource Research Division, told CNA this is another significant reform for the military. In recent years, alongside adjustments in strategy, tactics, and operational methods, refining the reserve education召集 system has become a core reform objective. This move not only responds to gender equality but also affirms women's equal capabilities with men, helping restore the reserve system to normalcy.

Su pointed out that internationally, both the U.S. Federal Reserve and National Guard, as well as Commonwealth国土 defense forces, implement gender-equal召集 systems. A prominent example is Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who served as a conscripted combat engineer officer in the Northern Army Brigade and, after discharge, remains subject to召集 under Norwegian law. Similar systems exist in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Regarding supporting measures, Su analyzed that the current proportion of female military personnel in Taiwan's armed forces is already close to international standards, with well-established infrastructure for accommodation and bathing facilities. Even during field camping missions with combat units, a smooth management mechanism for male and female personnel has long been established, making practical implementation feasible. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng)