A week ago, Iceland, known and lauded for gender equality, witnessed women going on a strike—a full-day protest. The reasons and the reality the strike presented demonstrate why gender equality is still a pipe dream.
The day saw thousands of women in Iceland, including Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, refusing to work. According to reports, the “kvennafrí”, or women’s day off, was announced to protest the gender pay gap and gender-based violence.
Ranked as the best country in the world for gender equality by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for 14 years in a row, Iceland, has been assigned an overall score of 91.2%.
The recent strike was the first full-day event by women in the last 48 years. So, what led the women in the European nation known for its enviable rankings to launch a massive 24-hour demonstration?
“I will not work this day, as I expect all the women [in cabinet] will do as well,” Iceland’s PM was quoted by news reports as saying.
The strike organizer Kristín Ástgeirsdóttir pointed out that violence against women was a problem in Iceland despite high levels of gender equality.
“Violence against women is deeply rooted in our culture,” she was quoted as saying.
Another organizer added that they were bringing attention to the fact that though known as an equality paradise, there was a need for urgent action against inequalities.
Former Icelandic president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir was quoted as saying that the 1975 strike was “the first step for women’s emancipation in Iceland,” and paved the way for her to become the first democratically elected woman to head the state, five years later.
It is evident that despite all the progress, gender equality remains a much-desired destination, and only the distance differs; no country is far in it to claim victory.
