Topic > Why Iceland ranks first for gender equality

Iceland is a country where lessons on gender equality are designed at all levels of education starting from kindergarten and this is a contributing factor to why it has been ranked the number one feminist country for 8 consecutive years. Icelandic women are the most empowered (given all the rights a citizen should have) and powerful on earth. This is because Iceland is one of the few countries in the world to take a real look at the negative effects of the sex industry and do something positive about it. Starting in 1850, Iceland became the first country to grant unconditional equal inheritance rights to men and women. Not long after, in 1915, women also gained the right to vote, a right granted to them five years before women in the United States. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The most significant moment for women's rights in the Nordic country (relating to Iceland, Finland, Scandinavia and the Faroe Islands) was in 1975, when on October 25, the majority of the country's women protested for equality economical. Since the women could have been fired for striking, the organization instead called it an organized “free day.” Approximately 90% of the female population took part in this act (including both housewives and professionals), in which women from all walks of life came together to form 10% of Iceland's population, having an effective impact as it left men barely making it due to the lack of female presence both in the workplace and in child care. A chord was struck that led Parliament to pass a law guaranteeing equal pay for women a year later. Five years after the demonstration, Iceland democratically elected not only its first female president, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, but the first in Europe. At the time she was a divorced single mother with a career spanning jobs as a tour guide, TV presenter and theatre. In 2000, equal parental leave was granted where both parents were given 3 months of leave with an additional 3 months to be divided between them and in 2012 the law was changed to extend the additional 3 months to five. The Icelandic government pays 95% of kindergarten tuition, making it easier for women to return to work. Iceland outlawed (declared illegal) strip clubs in 2010 and is the only country to have done so in support of women rather than for religious reasons. They also announced that they were examining stricter controls on censorship, and even banning, of Internet pornography after conducting extensive research into its negative effects on the portrayal of women as sexual objects. Campaigns like Slutwalk have been embraced by the Nordic country. It started abroad, however, it was championed by Iceland and taken to new heights. Thousands of people marched in solidarity against the concept of "slut-shaming" which places the blame for sexual violence on the victim because of their way of dressing (appearance). Clearly, the last 150 years of campaigning and women's rights have been part of Icelandic consciousness as the Nordic country became the first to close the gender gap in education, health and other aspects..