Hegseth advocates for the abolition of the Women, Peace and Security initiative
Chatty, Candid Analysis: Women, Peace, and Security Program at Risk
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, AILSA! Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth wants to scrap the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program. This baby was initially signed into law by President Trump in 2017 with bipartisan support and co-sponsored by two of Trump's current cabinet members. But Hegseth calls it a "woke" Biden-era initiative. He later amended it, stating instead that it's been warped under the new administration.
Now, let's talk about why that sucker's on the chopping block, and what might happen if it disappears. Kathleen McInnis, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has been advocating for the program and its effects on women in the military. My pal, Juana Summers, had a chat with McInnis and got the lowdown on the program's practical implications.
I'LL GIVE YOU A TASTE: One example of the WPS program's impact is ensuring female soldiers have properly fitted body armor. You think it's just about armor fitting, right? But when you slap male armor on a female body, shrapnel can sneak into gaps on the sides of the soldier. The WPS program aimed to address considerations like this in the broader Department of Defense framework, so our ladies can kick ass and win those wars.
Now, what's the deal with Hegseth wanting to ax this program? Congress passed the WPS law, and the defense secretary can't...you know...rewrite laws or annul 'em[2]. But, as McInnis explained, Hegseth intends to do the bare minimum required by statute, focusing on compliance instead of actually following through on the program's goals. There's also talk of a future request for legislative relief to ditch the Women, Peace and Security Act entirely.
It's important to note that numerous Republicans have praised the WPS program as an example of President Trump's successes in women's issues. Like, Marco Rubio even spoke about it at the International Women of Courage awards ceremony last month[4].
But what's changed? McInnis claims the agenda has been imposed under a "DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) or wokeness" agenda[6], that it's overly tokenized women in the military, and created burdensome training requirements.
Take a wild guess what percentage of the military, active duty troops are women? 17.7%! And reserve service members? 21.9%! So, a whopping 20% of troops need stuff like armor and access to reproductive health services that cater to their unique needs. If the Pentagon neglects these requirements for our women warfighters, they're not going to achieve operational effectiveness.
Finally, what's up with Hegseth's suggestion that women's roles in combat are diminishing[5]? McInnis raises valid points about the blurry lines between combat and non-combat roles, especially looking at Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. There are strategic advantages to effectively integrating women into the military, which ultimately contributes to overall war efforts.
SO, WHAT'S NEXT FOR WPS? We'll be keeping an eye on this one, so stay tuned!
Sources:
- https://www.csis.org/analysis/women-peace-and-security-implementing-9208
- https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ289/PLAW-115publ289.pdf
- https://cdn.csis.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/N24341_FINAL_Report-on-the-Implementation-of-the-Women-Peace-and-Security-Act-of-2017.pdf
- https://www.state.gov/secretary-marco-rubio-delivers-remarks-at-the-international-women-of-courage-awards-ceremony/
- https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Speeches/Speech/Article/2662967/remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-dr-pete-hegseth-at-the-shore-institute-am/?source=GovDelivery
- https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Speeches/Speech/Article/2662967/remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-dr-pete-hegseth-at-the-shore-institute-am/?source=GovDelivery
- The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program, which was signed into law by President Trump in 2017 with bipartisan support and co-sponsored by two of his current cabinet members, aims to address unique needs of female soldiers, such as ensuring they have properly fitted body armor to prevent shrapnel from entering gaps on their bodies.
- The WPS program has practical implications for women's health and wellness, extending to reproductive health services, and it contributes to the operational effectiveness of the military, as women make up a significant portion of the active duty troops and reserve service members.
- The WPS program has received praise from numerous Republicans, such as Marco Rubio, who spoke about it at the International Women of Courage awards ceremony last month, yet Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth has called for its elimination, citing concerns over its implementation under the new administration and claims that it is overly tokenized and burdensome.
