Iceland's PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir strikes over gender pay gap

Iceland’s PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir strikes over gender pay gap.
This nationwide protest is a response to gender-based violence.
Iceland has held the title of the best country in the world for gender equality.

Tens of thousands of women, including Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, are participating in a “kvennafrí” or women’s day off in Iceland on Tuesday.

This nationwide protest is a response to the gender pay gap and gender-based violence issues.

Industries predominantly comprised of women, such as healthcare and education, are particularly affected by this demonstration. Notably, this marks the first full-day women’s strike since 1975.

Women and non-binary individuals are being encouraged to refrain from paid and unpaid work on Tuesday, which includes household responsibilities.

Iceland’s Prime Minister, Ms. Jakobsdóttir, expressed her commitment to the protest, stating, “I will not work this day, as I expect all the women [in cabinet] will do as well.”

She also shared that her government is actively examining how professions dominated by women are valued when compared to fields traditionally dominated by men.

According to the Icelandic Teachers’ Union, women make up the majority of teachers at all levels of the educational system, including 94% of kindergarten teachers.

In addition, approximately 80% of the workforce at the National University Hospital of Iceland, the country’s largest hospital, consists of women.

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), Iceland has held the title of the best country in the world for gender equality for 14 consecutive years.

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Iceland, while highly regarded for its gender equality, does not achieve complete parity, receiving an overall score of 91.2% from the WEF.

The strike in 1975, where about 90% of Iceland’s female workforce participated, aimed to underscore the essential role of women in the economy. This action led to the Icelandic parliament passing an equal pay law the following year.

Former Icelandic President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir noted that the 1975 strike represented the initial stride toward women’s emancipation in Iceland, a milestone that paved the way for her to become the world’s first democratically elected female head of state in 1980.

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Iceland’s PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir strikes over gender pay gap

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