Many Icelandic women, including the country's prime minister, went on strike on Tuesday as part of a campaign for increased gender equality.
It was the seventh occasion that Icelandic women have gone on strike for gender equality, according to the campaign's official website. The initial strike occurred on October 24, 1975, as per CNN.
Icelandic Women Strike for Gender Parity
In a powerful display of solidarity, Icelandic women took to the streets on what is known as the 'Women's Day Off' or 'Kvennafrí' in Icelandic. The strike, organized by women to raise awareness of systemic wage discrimination and gender-based violence, significantly impacted the country, its government, and its citizens.
Today, some schools, libraries, and even banks closed their doors. In Reykjavík, thousands of women gathered to stand up for their rights and demand gender equality. What made this strike even more remarkable was the participation of the country's prime minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, who postponed a cabinet meeting to show her support for Icelandic women.
Iceland, often lauded as a gender equality paradise, has a long-standing commitment to closing the gender gap. The country has consistently topped the World Economic Forum's gender gap index for 14 consecutive years, with a remarkable 91.2% of the gender gap closed.
Despite this progress, the strike aimed to highlight that there is still work to be done, particularly concerning the gender pay gap and violence against women.
In 2018, Iceland passed a law obliging companies to prove they were not paying women less than men, but wage disparities persist. Statistics from 2021 show an overall pay gap of 10.2%, which widens to a staggering 29.7% in finance and insurance jobs.
Women are also more likely to work in undervalued, lower-paid sectors, such as teaching and healthcare. Moreover, gender-based violence remains a pressing issue, with more than 40% of women in Iceland experiencing such violence, according to The New York Times.
Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Immigrant Women's Rights in Iceland
A study from the University of Iceland in 2018 revealed that one in four women had been raped or sexually assaulted, with most cases failing to reach trial. The strike organizers also aimed to draw attention to the plight of immigrant women, whose contributions to Icelandic society are often undervalued and underpaid.
One of the main demands of the strike was for the wages of women working in female-led sectors to be published. They also called for accountability for gender-based and sexual violence, ensuring that perpetrators are held responsible for their actions.
At least 25,000 women and non-binary individuals gathered for a rally in Reykjavík city center, with thousands more from various sectors participating in strikes nationwide, including fishing, teaching, and healthcare.
Prime Minister Jakobsdóttir's decision to support the strike and encourage her cabinet to do the same sent a powerful message of solidarity with Icelandic women.
She emphasized that her participation was a gesture of support for the cause. This strike was reminiscent of the historic Women's Day Off in 1975, when 90% of Icelandic women refused to perform their domestic duties.
The massive participation led to significant changes in the country, including the election of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir as the world's first female elected president. Iceland's reputation as a gender equality champion carries a weight of responsibility, and the organizers of this strike believe that living up to these expectations is paramount.
While the country has made impressive strides, the fight for complete gender equality continues, and these women are determined to make their voices heard until the job is done, Aljazeera reported.
