Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting
Statement by Iceland
21-22 October 2024

Chair,

Iceland welcomes this opportunity to reflect on our progress toward gender equality.

The global backlash against the human rights of women and girls, not least to their sexual reproductive health and rights, and their right to bodily autonomy is gravely concerning. Sexual and gender-based violence remains an epidemic and the gender pay gap has yet to be eliminated.

The backlash shows us how vulnerable the gains we have made toward gender equality are. We must reverse and fight these trends and work together to secure human rights of all women and girls.

Iceland has ranked first on the Global Gender Gap Index for 15 years in a row. While we take pride in this achievement, we recognize that gender equality has not yet been achieved.

Conscious of this fact, Iceland has continued to improve its legal framework, with an Act on Gender Equality with a first-ever provision on multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination to ensure equal rights for all, and an Act on Gender Autonomy that ensures self-identification for legal gender recognition free from medical or diagnostic requirements.

The gender pay gap has narrowed in Iceland in recent years. The remaining gap is mainly due to a gender-segregated labour market whereby certain sectors are still dominated by women and have long been undervalued.

Parental leave for both parents has been instrumental for enhancing gender equality in Iceland. Both parents now have the right to six months of parental leave, and maximum payments have been raised.

Regrettably, sexual and gender-based violence remains one of our most pressing human rights challenges. As part of our commitment to prevent and combat all forms of SGBV, a Parliamentary resolution was adopted to ensure that preventive measures are integrated into all formal and informal education and after school activities. Moreover, in order to address the rise in online violence, the Penal Code was amended and digital sexual violence is now a punishable offense.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls and their right to bodily autonomy is a vital aspect of gender equality. In order to uphold these rights, an Act on Termination of Pregnancy was passed in 2019 guaranteeing access to safe and legal abortion.

Iceland firmly believes that progressive policies aimed at advancing gender equality are the foundation for an inclusive and rights-based society where everyone can prosper. Iceland remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving gender equality and eliminating all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls.