Iceland Becomes The Best Gender Equality Country In The World

Icelandic woman illustration (Freepik/Alejandro Martinez Ferrer)

Choosing a country to visit or live in can be a different consideration for women than men. Do women have the same rights and sufficient legal protection? Is the country safe for women traveling alone?

Although no country has achieved perfection in every aspect, some countries have better scores than the United States, Canada, or Britain in many ways regarding women's rights.

Interestingly, countries that excel in gender equality also tend to have higher levels of democracy, peace, and prosperity. The researchers agreed that there is a strong correlation between gender equality and the welfare of a country.

Every year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) issues a Global Gender Gap (GGG) Report, which evaluates 146 countries based on various indicators of gender equality. This report shows that no country has yet reached full equality, and it is estimated that it will still take more than a century to achieve it.

In addition, the Women Peace and Security Index (WPS) issued byLAW University assessed 177 countries based on inclusion, justice and security factors for women.

According to the World Happiness Report, high-ranked countries in gender equality also have a high level of happiness. In addition, they also have a good score in the Global Peace Index, which assesses the level of peace and the level of crime in 163 countries.

According to a report from Forbes, the best country for women's rights and gender equality is Iceland. This is calculated based on the women's peace and security index, global gender gap reports, mother's health and survival, world happiness reports, and global peace indexes.

In addition, gestational leave for mothers is 13 weeks with a salary of 80%, father leave of 12 weeks with a salary of 80%, and additional 26 weeks of parental leave for each parent, with a salary of 80%.

Iceland is often referred to as the most feminist and gender equivalent country in the world. Over the past 15 years, Iceland has consistently become the country with the highest gender equality based on the Global Gender Gap (GGG) report. In fact, this is the only country that has ever scored more than 90% in the report.

In the last 50 years, Iceland has been led by women for nearly 25 years. Currently, 48% of the lawmakers in Iceland are women. This demonstrates the country's strong commitment to a fair gender representation.

Policies led by women in government have resulted in real changes. The wage gap between men and women in Iceland is among the smallest in the world.

One of the main factors is the law enacted in 2018, which requires companies with more than 25 employees to provide the same wages for equivalent jobs. Otherwise, the company will be subject to daily fines.

"Island is a society where women are treated on par with men, or at least, there is a strong intention to achieve it," said psychologist Hulda Tolgyes, interviewed for the GGG report.

In second place was won by the Danish state. This country is referred to as the law system with the most gender equality. Denmark is the happiest country in the world for almost a decade. In terms of women's rights, Denmark has a high score in terms of inclusion, such as access to finance and representation in parliament.

The country also has the highest score in access to justice and is among the best in the absence of legal discrimination. In addition, Denmark is one of only 14 countries in the world that has a fully gender equivalent legal system.

In fact, Denmark is included in 13 countries where all women have access to bank accounts. This shows a strong commitment to women's financial independence.

If you are looking for a country that respects women's rights and provides the best protection, here are the 16 best countries in gender equality in 2024, as reported by VOI from the Forbes website on Monday, February 3.

1. Iceland2. Denmark3. Norway4. Finland5. Sweden6. Germany7. Lithuania8. Belgium9. Switzerland10. Luxembourg11. Austria12. Netherlands13. New Zealand14. United States 15. Canada16. England