The increase in women's participation in the Bundeswehr is considered "far from sufficient" by Högl.
At a recent gathering of military advocates in Berlin, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Eva Högler brought up persistent issues women face in the German military. Even after two decades, she pointed out, instances of sexual harassment and inappropriate comments remain common.
Högler wasn't just addressing uniform-related troubles either. She also raised concerns about the lack of appropriate uniforms and adequate sanitation facilities in barracks. Despite females slowly making their way into the German armed forces, she belived progress was happening at a snail's pace during her opening speech at the conference.
Attending this event from various nations are representatives of military watchdog organizations, including the US, Israel, France, and Ukraine. Although they perform their roles differently in their own countries, they all share a common goal - safeguarding the interests of both male and female service members.
Researchers and experts will also explore Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the challenges faced by military families, and the role of women in combat over the span of two days. Wednesday's focus will be on PTSD in veterans, their transition back to civilian life, and overall mental wellbeing. By the conference's end, a unified recommendation will be prepared to address these topics.
This event, titled the "International Conference of Ombuds Institutions for the Armed Forces," was established in Germany in 2009 and held annually. This year, Germany has the honor of hosting it for the first time in 15 years - a tradition honored by its founder, the former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Reinhold Robbe.
The German Armed Forces were a topic of concern for Eva Högler during her speech at the conference, as she expressed her belief that progress toward gender equality in the forces was moving too slowly. Despite representatives from various nations, including the US, Israel, France, and Ukraine, sharing a common goal of safeguarding interests for both male and female service members, incidents of sexual harassment and inappropriate comments continue to persist within The German Armed Forces.
