The biggest news on International Women’s Day comes from one of the smallest Nordic nations. Today, Iceland announced it will require all employers to prove that they provide equal pay to their employees, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or nationality. Iceland is the first country in the world to introduce such a policy.
In the wake of this announcement, Equality and Social Affairs Minister Thorsteinn Viglundsson encourages lawmakers, “to dare to take new steps, to be bold in the fight against injustice.” He emphasized that it is a nation’s responsibility to take the necessary measures to achieve equality in the workplace.
For almost ten years, Iceland has topped The World Economic Forum rankings as the best country in the world for gender equality, and today they proved just how seriously they take this issue.
Iceland has a long history of serving as a global leader in the fight for equal rights, dating back to 1805 when they approved equal inheritance for men and women; 1908 when they ensured women the right to hold office; and 1980 when they elected the world’s first democratically chosen female president. Constantly pushing the boundaries to ensure all people are fairly treated in their country, the government looks to have the legislation fully implemented by 2020 in the hopes of eradicating the gender pay gap by 2022.
How are you celebrating International Women’s Day? Let us know in the comments or tweets us @IcelandNatural!
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