1. Icelandic Strike

Thousands of women in Iceland, including the Prime Minister, went on a 24-hour strike called Women's Day Off to demand equal pay and an end to gender-based violence. Although Iceland is considered a leader in gender equality, there is still a gender pay gap and a high rate of violence against women. Jobs traditionally done by women, such as teaching and caregiving, pay less than jobs typically done by men. Despite laws requiring equal pay, there is still a 10% gender pay gap. Studies show that 40% of Icelandic women have experienced sexual assault or gender-based violence, and many do not trust the police to protect them. The strike aimed to highlight these inequalities. The 1975 women's strike in Iceland was a turning point in the country's push for gender equality. World News. Women's Day Off Strike in Iceland. By Katrina Chalmers. Thousands of women in Iceland, including the country's Prime Minister, went on strike for 24 hours, on October 24. The strike is known as Women's Day Off. They are asking for equal pay and an end to gender-based violence. The Prime Minister says, the fight for equality is moving too slowly. Iceland has made a lot of progress and is seen as one of the top countries in the world for gender equality. It has been called, the best place in the world to be a woman. However, while progress has been made in gender equality, there is still a gender pay gap and a lot of violence against women. In Iceland, women often do jobs like teaching, taking care of children, taking care of people's health, and cleaning. These are important jobs for society, but the pay is lower than jobs typically done by men. An agency called Statistics Iceland says that the jobs women do pay 20% less than jobs men typically do, even when they require the same level of education. In other work, even though employers are required by law to pay men and women the same amount of money for the same work, there is still a 10% gap in gender pay. Studies done at the University of Iceland found that 40% of Icelandic women have experienced sexual assaults or gender-based violence. The same studies showed that many women do not go to the police because they do not think that the police will believe them or protect them. They think that the laws about violence at home help men more than they help women. The theme of the strike was, do you call this equality? The people striking refused to do any kind of work, paid or unpaid for 24 hours. This included going out to work, and also any work around the house or taking care of children. We want to show that even though Iceland is seen as being a leader in gender equality, women are still not equal, says Freya Steingram-Soter, one of the people who organized the strike. This was not the first strike by women in Iceland. In 1975, thousands of Icelandic women went on strike for 24 hours. They refused to do any work at all. Banks, factories, hospitals, schools, and some shops had to close. Many men had to take their children to work with them. That strike was a shock for Iceland, and the first step for the country to start changing laws and becoming a more gender-equal society.