Committees

Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life

Inquiry

This inquiry will explore the experience of female service personnel from recruitment to transition and consider whether there are unique challenges that are not adequately addressed by the current policies and services.

Challenges that the inquiry will explore, include:

  • Recruitment and retention of female personnel;
  • Incidences where female serving personnel are the victim of sexual offences;
  • Overrepresentation in the complaints system;
  • Female personnel are more likely to make bullying and harassment complaints;
  • Female personnel are more likely to be assessed with a mental health disorder; and
  • Transition to civilian life, where female service leavers have a lower employment rate and a higher economic inactivity rate.

Other areas of interest that the Committee are keen to cover within the scope of the inquiry include issues around pensions, terms and conditions of employment, housing and general wellbeing. 

The Committee plans to hold a public evidence session in November 2022 with a Minister from the Ministry of Defence, to assess the Government’s progress on the recommendations of the Women in the Armed Forces inquiry report.

To inform this session, we are launching a short call for written evidence, to find out more about relevant changes in the Armed Forces over the last year. The Committee is especially interested to hear from organisations with links to multiple service personnel and veterans, such as families’ federations and NGOs. Call for Evidence - Committees - UK Parliament

Upcoming events

View all events

No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Tuesday 27 April 2021
2:00pm Private
2:30pm Public
Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life - Oral evidence 27 April 2021
2:30pm
  • Lieutenant General James Swift OBE (Chief of Defence People at Ministry of Defence)
  • Samantha des Forges (Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Ministry of Defence)
  • Air Vice Marshal Maria Byford QHDS (Chief of Staff Personnel and Air Secretary at Ministry of Defence)
  • Baroness Goldie, Minister of State
Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Thursday 18 March 2021
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life - Oral evidence 18 March 2021
10:00am
  • Emma Norton (Director and Solicitor at Centre for Military Justice (CMJ))
  • Nicola Williams, former Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces
11:00am
  • Ahmed Al-Nahhas (Partner and Head of Military Claims at Bolt Burdon Kemp)
  • Wing Commander (Ret’d) Graham House (Principal at Justice4Troops)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Thursday 4 March 2021
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Women in the Armed Forces: From Recruitment to Civilian Life - Oral evidence 4 March 2021
10:00am
  • Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Diane Allen
  • Paula Edwards (Project Lead & Mental Health Therapist at Salute Her)
11:00am
  • Maria Lyle (Director at RAF Families Federation)
  • Anna Wright (CEO at Naval Families Federation)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.