You have what it takes

In Sweden, military service is mandatory for both women and men — on paper. In practice, the Armed Forces has struggled to attract young women. Traditional recruitment campaigns, filled with camouflage and combat drills, haven’t spoken to them. The result? A major gender imbalance at a time when Sweden faces growing defense demands, ambitious equality targets, and a rapidly changing security situation.

Culturally, many young women see the military as physically brutal, emotionally tough, and unwelcoming. Most don’t see themselves in a uniform — and worse, they don’t see how their skills, strengths, and qualities matter in a military context. At a time when Sweden is rearming, expanding conscription, and joining NATO, the Armed Forces urgently needed to connect with half the population it risked leaving behind.

So, we flipped the script. For the first time ever, we launched a campaign without a single soldier, weapon, or battlefield. Instead, we spotlighted the leadership, resilience, and courage young women already show in their everyday lives — and made them see those qualities as vital to defending Sweden. It wasn’t just a recruitment message. It was a cultural statement, and it landed exactly when both the Armed Forces and society needed it most.