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However, the goal of female participation has been adjusted as it has not been possible to meet the set out<br />
objective. The goal for 2020 is now at least 20 percent women which seems unattainable as there has not been<br />
much increase for the last years. There does not seem to be a lack of action plans to meet the United Nation<br />
Security Council Resolution 1325 and to take action at home. As women have been allowed to serve in all occupations<br />
within the Norwegian Forces for many years, and Norway being a pioneer country of women serving<br />
onboard submarines, the history has looked promising for women in the Norwegian military. Stortingsmelding<br />
36 (2006-2007) who seeks for a more modern and flexible armed force covers areas for action, but is not specific<br />
in the initiatives that needs to be carried out. The most recent policy in Norway however, has been taken<br />
in 2013 with the adoption of gender neutral conscription, making the military more relevant for both genders,<br />
while choosing another direction than what Sweden did three years ago.<br />
5.4.2 CREATING RELEVANT MEASURES<br />
The theoretical framework presented in chapter 2 presents barriers women face when entering into male dominated<br />
organizations. Statistics uncover how young women seem to be more exploited than men and those<br />
who are older, to sexual harassment at work. This finding is further strengthened with research that prevail<br />
how sexual harassment of women primarily takes place in the male-dominated workforce where the tasks are<br />
stereotypical masculine. These conditions are found to have serious implications on job performance and the<br />
efficiency. It also has effects on the retention of women in these jobs (Febbraro 2010). The statistics and literature<br />
support the identified barriers for women in armed forces found throughout this research and present an<br />
obstacle for the military’s ability to keep women. Findings from documents and interview show that sexual<br />
harassment is also a well known problem within all three forces, where a male-oriented language still exists<br />
within the military organization. Findings from the Employment System Review in Canada shows that even<br />
though both men and women get used to this language, women are more likely to report the use of this language<br />
(Chief Review Services 1998). This is a problem that is not only identified, but also met with specific<br />
measures, where an anti-harassment program is set out towards a reduction. Specific guidelines are also developed<br />
with the intention of addressing and resolving the situations (National Defence and the Canadian Forces<br />
2013b). Sexual harassment is a threat not only towards basic rights for women, but also the ability for the<br />
military to retain women.<br />
The Swedish Armed Forces have met this challenge by creating a written reporting system, where both parts<br />
are called to talk to an employee working on the issue (Interview 2013). The Norwegian Forces have also met<br />
this issue, but the impression is that the extent of the Norwegian reporting systems is not as prepared as its<br />
neighboring country yet. In terms of sanctions, the Swedish Forces move the woman if she is located at the<br />
same station as the man. In Norway, men have been moved to another station and many don’t find this as a<br />
sanction as they may be moved to another place they actually are more eager to go to (Interview 2013). Canada<br />
has met this by refusing anyone who has a record of harassment to serve outside Canada (National Defence<br />
and the Canadian Forces 2013b).<br />
It is not much research on the issue of combing work in the military and family life, but the Work Research<br />
Institute Report Series in 2012 as outlined in the theoretical framework shows that women who serve as an<br />
officer handle more family obligations in addition to their job in the forces, while male officers more often<br />
seem to leave these family tasks to the women in the family (Heen 2012). These findings indicate that women<br />
face greater obstacles when serving as they take on more work then what men do. Family issues was also outlined<br />
above as extensive research within the Canadian Forces have shown that the reasons why women decide<br />
to leave the military are mainly found in the area of family issues, where women want to avoid family separation<br />
and increase the stability at home. Women also feel to a larger extent that their career conflicts with their<br />
spouse’s career (Canto et.al 2001 in Bourgon 2007:11).<br />
These challenges are met by creating family programs where the addressing the need for more geographical<br />
stability. This was set on the Canadian agenda as early as in 1991 through the Military family Services (National<br />
Defence 2013:6). The impression from the document study and the oral highlights has been that welfare issues<br />
and challenges for families have been of high priority to the Norwegian Forces, the Ministry of Defense and the<br />
military labor organizations with subsequent initiatives to ease the situation for many military families (Oral<br />
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