Colombia opens military service to women for first time in 25 years

Colombia opens military service to women for first time in 25 years: Colombia has opened military service to women for the first time in 25 years. A cohort of 1,296 women have been enlisted in Colombia’s Army in the month of February.

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More About the recent recruits by the Colombian Army:

Recruits must live on military bases for several months and are paid only about $75 per month, but some of the women in the new programme hope it will help them build a career in the armed forces. They see it as a chance for a stable job and educational opportunities.

Colombia has long had compulsory military service for men ages 18 to 24. The army relies heavily on those young recruits to staff bases, protect infrastructure and carry out administrative tasks, while its professional soldiers confront drug trafficking gangs and rebel groups. This year, officials allowed females in the same age range to voluntarily join the military, as part of an effort to strengthen the role of women in its ranks, according to the army.

Composition of the Colombian army:

• Colombia’s army has around 200,000 soldiers. Around 1% are women, who until now joined after attending military universities or applying for administrative jobs.
• Every year, around 50,000 men are drafted into the South American country’s armed forces for a year of mandatory military service.

Colombia’s New Push Enlist Females in its Army:

The new push to allow females to enlist comes as Colombia’s congress debates a bill that would eliminate compulsory military service and enable young men to replace it with internships in educational programs, environmental projects or human rights initiatives.

Military officers in Colombia have opposed this legislation, saying it would diminish the army’s capabilities.

Colombia: FAST FACTS:

• OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Colombia
• FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Republic
• CAPITAL: Bogotá
• POPULATION: 48,168,996
• OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Spanish
• CURRENCY: Peso
• PRESIDENT: Gustavo Francisco Petro
• AREA: 439,619 square miles (1,138,910 square kilometers)
• MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Andes, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
• MAJOR RIVERS: Magdalena, Cauca, Atrato, Sinú.