'Gender Equality Index No.1' Iceland Prime Minister, Reason for Joining Women's General Strike

Women in Capital Reykjavik Stage 24-Hour Strike
Prime Minister Jakobsdottir: "Complete Gender Equality Not Achieved"

Women in Iceland, the world’s number one country in gender equality index, went on an all-day strike demanding the elimination of gender wage gaps and sexual violence. Icelandic Prime Minister Katr?n Jakobsd?ttir also participated in the strike.

According to foreign media reports including CNN and AP, on the 24th (local time), women gathered across Iceland and launched a 24-hour strike in the capital Reykjavik. The strike was held as a protest against gender wage discrimination and violence.

Icelandic women went on a full-day strike on the 24th (local time) in the capital Reykjavik, demanding the elimination of the gender wage gap and the eradication of sexual violence. While women in Iceland have gone on strike occasionally, this 24-hour full-day strike is the first since 1975. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Jakobsd?ttir attracted attention by announcing that she would not work for the day and would join the strike. In an interview with Iceland Monitor on the 20th, Jakobsd?ttir said, "As you know, Iceland has not yet reached the goal of complete gender equality," adding, "There is still a gender wage gap. This is an unacceptable issue in 2023."

Women’s strikes have often occurred in Iceland, but a 24-hour full-day strike is the first in 48 years since 1975. At that time, 90% of Icelandic women workers went on strike to emphasize the importance of women in society and the economy.

Following the strike, the Equal Pay Act was passed by the Icelandic parliament the next year. Five years later, Vigd?s Finnbogad?ttir became the first female president in Europe and the world’s first democratically elected female head of state.

Iceland has also been ranked number one in the gender equality index by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for 14 consecutive years from 2009 to this year. However, the organizers of the strike, composed of about 40 organizations, pointed out that key demands for guaranteeing women’s equal rights have not been realized even after the 1975 strike.

They explained that although Iceland is regarded as a leading country in gender equality, in some occupations women’s wages are still 21% lower than men’s.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.