Finland's military faces discrimination criticism after barring a pregnant reservist from exercises. The Parliamentary Ombudsman found the armed forces may have acted improperly by excluding her based solely on pregnancy.
The reservist received automatic exemption from Kainuu Brigade's refresher training last fall. Officials made the decision without assessing her actual fitness for duty.
Parliamentary Ombudsman Petri JÀÀskelÀinen determined the military should have evaluated her service capability individually. He stated pregnancy alone cannot justify exemption under Finland's equality laws.
The reservist had progressed to week 31 of pregnancy when training began. She had previously arranged accommodations with exercise leaders, including indoor lodging with washing facilities.
Despite these preparations, a sergeant initially told her she couldn't participate. He suggested she consider the fetus's safety, which she found inappropriate.
The sergeant later reversed his position and welcomed her to join. But then a conscription secretary intervened, citing legislation about voluntary military service.
The secretary claimed the law requires automatic exemption for pregnant women. She insisted defense forces have no discretion in such cases.
The ombudsman disagreed with this interpretation. He clarified that service suspension must connect to actual service capability, not pregnancy status alone.
Finland's constitution prohibits discrimination, strengthening the reservist's position. The military's blanket approach overlooked her specific circumstances and preparations.
The reservist's assigned duties involved office work, not physical activity. This made the automatic exclusion even more questionable.
Kainuu Brigade acknowledged needing better internal training and guidelines. The case revealed inconsistent communication within the defense forces.
This situation highlights tensions between military protocols and individual rights. Finland's defense system must balance operational needs with anti-discrimination laws.
The military now faces pressure to update its policies regarding pregnant service members. Clearer guidelines could prevent similar conflicts in future training exercises.