Mixed-gender barracks Finland are now a standard feature of military service, following a successful pilot programme. The Finnish Defence Forces have extended shared accommodation for male and female conscripts across the country, receiving largely positive feedback.
A shift towards integration and equality
Shared rooms for conscripts of different genders were tested between 2020 and 2023. Since then, mixed-gender barracks have been made widely available to all willing conscripts in Finland’s garrisons. According to Hannu Maijanen, Chief of Social Affairs at the Defence Command, the practice is now firmly established.
“Conscripts report that mixed rooms have a calmer atmosphere, which supports rest and recovery,” Maijanen told the national broadcaster Yle. He also noted that traditional divisions between men and women have largely disappeared, fostering greater cohesion within squads.
Positive experiences among conscripts
For many soldiers, sharing rooms with colleagues of different genders feels natural. Aada-Linnea Häkkinen, a corporal in the Jaeger Brigade in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, said she has never found the arrangement awkward.
“Even though we’re in mixed rooms, nobody really cares who’s changing clothes. We’re one group, and everyone here is the same,” Häkkinen said, adding that bathrooms and showers remain separate by gender. She also emphasised that any concerns would be promptly addressed: “I’ve never felt like I couldn’t say something. Issues are handled constructively.”
Normalising diversity in service life
Veeti Myllyneva, another corporal serving in Rovaniemi, described the situation as entirely ordinary. “I haven’t thought about it as having women in the room, just fellow soldiers,” he said. Mixed accommodation has not required changes in behaviour, and he believes it offers valuable perspective: “You don’t always have to just be with the guys.”
Not mandatory, but widely accepted
While the option to stay in single-gender rooms remains for those who prefer it, only a small number of conscripts have chosen this. It is also worth noting that service members of all genders routinely share living spaces on navy ships and during field exercises in tents.
Overall, the Finnish model of mixed-gender barracks reflects broader efforts to create a more inclusive and balanced environment within the country’s military, offering lessons that could resonate beyond Finland’s borders.
