Objectives:
The article aims to analyse changes in women’s participation in the Polish Armed Forces and to identify the principal benefits and barriers associated with their service in the wider context of national security.

Methods:
The study applies desk research, including a literature review; analysis of legal acts (including the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the Act of 11 September 2003) and strategic documents; and a secondary analysis of selected statistical data on women’s military service and participation in international missions. The comparative framework refers to selected NATO standards and the Women, Peace and Security agenda (UNSCR 1325). As no primary research (surveys or interviews) is used, the inference is analytical rather than causal.

Results:
The analysis shows a clear increase in the number of women serving and their growing presence across different corps and service branches. As of 1 March 2024, official data record 17,334 women in professional military service (approximately 13% of personnel). At the same time, organisational, cultural, and logistical barriers remain significant. The available literature also suggests that women’s participation may facilitate selected operational tasks, particularly those requiring contact with civilian populations; in missions, this includes, inter alia, support for medical tasks and direct engagement with local communities.

Conclusions:
Growing participation by women may strengthen the armed forces’ personnel capacity and diversify the competence profile of military personnel; however, a full assessment of its impact on the state security system still requires further empirical research.