Increasing the Number of Senior Women in the Australian Army

Increasing the number of women involved in the peace and security process is fundamental to ensuring successful outcomes, a conclusion that has been captured in multiple national and international frameworks. This includes women at all ranks of the military, but particularly at the more senior leadership and decision-making levels. The career progression of Officers in the Australian Army is heavily reliant on the merit system. Unfortunately, systemic issues with this process result in a subjectivity that undermines efforts to increase the number of women in Army senior leadership. The introduction of bias interrupters throughout the employment pipeline will remove some of the barriers to the progression of women into senior positions, resulting in a more effective force that is better able to achieve military objectives.