New Women Veterans' Strategy to aid former female service personnel

The Government's first Women Veterans' Strategy is being developed by the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) to look at the experiences of former female service personnel.

The report, which is due to be launched later this year, will look at areas where women who have served in the Armed Forces might be missing out on support.

There are more than 235,000 female veterans in England and Wales but many say they face issues accessing support services, particularly where those services are inadvertently orientated towards men.

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Looking at the particular needs and challenges faced by women veterans compared to their male counterparts, the OVA will identify what further tailored support could be provided to meet their specific needs.

In partnership with experts in academia, charities and other government departments, this will cover areas such as mental health, physical welfare and employment. 

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Johnny Mercer said: "Making this country the best place in the world to be a veteran shouldn't just be something we say, but something we do.

"In order to deliver this ambition, it's vital that we listen to women veterans, celebrate their successes, and deliver the support they need.

"That's what the new Women Veterans’ Strategy will do."

The launch of the Women Veteran's Strategy comes after the OVA and the Ministry of Defence launched a wider review of veterans' welfare services, to examine their effectiveness and efficiency.