Iceland Prime Minister & Women Across the Nation Strike for Equality

Iceland, the world's most gender-equal country, witnesses a historic strike, bringing together women and nonbinary individuals to demand equal pay and an end to violence. Organized by trade unions, the strike called on participants to refrain from paid and unpaid work, including household chores, impacting public transport, healthcare, and other sectors. Though Iceland has made significant strides toward gender equality, a gender pay gap still persists.

This strike, described as the largest since 1975, sends a powerful message against discrimination in the workplace. Back in 1975, 90% of Icelandic women refused work, house cleaning, and childcare to protest workplace discrimination. This collective action led to groundbreaking legislation in 1976, guaranteeing equal rights regardless of gender.

Since then, Iceland has seen sporadic strikes and demonstrations, most recently in 2018, with women leaving work early to symbolize the time they, on average, stop earning compared to men.

This time around, the strike affects schools and the healthcare system, where women dominate the workforce. Public broadcaster RUV has reduced its broadcasts for the day, and only one bank branch remains open.

Demonstrations occurred nationwide, with Reykjavik hosting the largest rally. On Arnarhóll Hill, tens of thousands gathered for the event, where speakers highlighted grim statistics about economic inequality and sexual violence in Iceland, questioning whether these circumstances equate to true equality. The resounding response from the crowd was a powerful "No!"

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdóttir confirmed her participation in the strike, emphasizing that the nation is yet to achieve full gender equality and is still grappling with the gender-based wage gap. Iceland's government is equally divided between male and female ministers, with close to half of the lawmakers in the parliament being women. Despite significant strides in breaking glass ceilings, lower-paying jobs, such as cleaning and childcare, are still predominantly occupied by women.

Iceland's economy heavily relies on these essential, women-dominated professions, often staffed by immigrants. Around 22% of the female workforce in Iceland is foreign-born. Foreign-born women are more vulnerable, given the longer hours and lower salaries they typically face.

Iceland's 1975 strike inspired similar protests around the world, with Spain's 2018 strike on International Women’s Day taking inspiration from Iceland's actions. Spain's acting equality minister, Irene Montero, expressed full support for Iceland's latest protest, highlighting the lasting impact of collective action to demand gender equality.

The strike in Iceland echoes the nation's ongoing commitment to improving gender equality and creating a fairer and more just society for all. As women and nonbinary individuals across the country united, their collective voices reverberated beyond Iceland's borders, inspiring renewed calls for equality and justice worldwide.