50 years ago in Iceland, the walkout that narrowed the gender gap

29/10/2025 3 min

Listen "50 years ago in Iceland, the walkout that narrowed the gender gap"

Episode Synopsis

Japan has just named its first female prime minister ― a milestone for a country ranked 118th in the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index. At the other end of the scale sits Iceland, which has topped the index for 16 straight years. The country took a leap forward 50 years ago when 90% of its women stopped working, doing housework, or looking after their children for a nationwide protest known as "Women's Day Off." The strike forced the nation to recognize the value of women's labor, and remains a lesson in spurring equality.