WOMEN
STRIKE IN ICELAND – INTERNATIONAL
News:
Iceland PM joins women’s
strike: Why the ‘world’s most gender-equal country’ is protesting inequality
What's
in the news?
●
Women
of Iceland — often called the world’s most gender-equal country
— went on a one-day strike on October 24 to protest against gender
discrimination. The striking women were joined by the Prime Minister, Katrin
Jakobsdóttir.
Iceland:
●
Iceland is a European island nation
located in the North Atlantic Ocean,
with a population of less than 4 lakh.
●
Its women have made great strides in terms
of representation in the workforce and legislation backing their right to
equality.
●
Many of these benefits came after a nationwide ‘women’s day off’ observed on
October 24, 1975.
Concerns:
●
However, 48 years on, two key areas of
concern remain such as
○
Pay
gap
○
Gender-based
violence.
●
According to a report, in some professions
Icelandic women still earn 21% less than men, and more than 40% of women have
experienced gender-based or sexual violence.