WOMEN, WAR AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

Historically women have been excludedfrOln cOlnbat roles in state militaries. At best women have participated in wars in non-combatants roles like medical staff, logistics and supplies managers. This tradition continues for most states in the world with a few exceptions. However, in recent years, 'women 's growing involvement in combat roles has initiated a public discourse. Other than this, contempormy politics and nature of warfare, new combat roles, peacekeeping m,issions and post-conflict disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation mechanisms creates roles that are better suited to women. Currently, there are few countries who allow women into their ground combat forces. Given the changed nature of battlefield and sophistication of technologies made it easier for both men and women to mobilize, engage and fight in any battlefield easily but acid test will always remain in operating under unpredictable circumstances. As modern technologies require skills and expertise to be operated, the role of muscular-physical strength has been reduced to some extent. I empirically examine how a women 's participation in social, political, and economic activities and institutions cifJects the probability that combat roles will be opened to the71'l. Existing literature on women's roles in regular and irregular conflicts has been reviewed to identify the significance of female combatants. The results provide robust evidence that these l~fting of exclusionwy policies from combat roles are associated with women's participation in politics, civil society, and economic activities. However, there are less chances of opening of combat roles to women in developed countries due to lack of advancement in military technology and other socio-political factors.