According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2009, Iceland is "the country with the narrowest gender gap in the world" and has remained centuries ahead of others when it comes to equal rights. In 1815 he was one of the first to introduce partial women's suffrage, granting independent women and widows the right to vote in local elections, eventually granting full parliamentary suffrage to women of all ages in 1920. However, Despite these revolutionary advances towards the beginning of the 20th century, Icelandic women still had a long way to go to be seen as equals at home, in the workplace, and in society itself by the 1970s. into action on October 24, 1975, when Icelandic women called for “Women’s Day Off.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay For many, action like this was long overdue. The feminist and hippie movements of the 1960s brought change to young populations, allowing them to question their societies and governments. In Iceland, women were tired of being seen as just housewives and mothers. Jobs were often designated and targeted to particular genders, as women were expected to work for lower wages. Since women were allowed to run for office in 1915, only nine women have entered Parliament. In 1975, there were only three women parliamentarians, representing only 5% of the cabinet, while other Nordic parliaments had between 16 and 23% women. The main group fighting for women's rights in Iceland at that time was "The Redstockings". It was a radical women's organization founded in 1969 in New York and established in Iceland in 1970, which campaigned against traditional and restrictive views of women, inspired by liberal student riots in the United States and in throughout Europe in the 1960s. The Icelandic group first proposed a strike for women's rights in the workplace, adopting the name "Women's Day Off" to compromise with older generations elderly people who did not appreciate their radical approaches. After the United Nations declared 1975 International Women's Year, The Redstockings wanted to take action. The aim of the strike was not to abandon their responsibilities or show hatred for their family life but to give people the opportunity to appreciate the role women play in society. The Redstockings also proved instrumental in legalizing abortion, campaigned for political parties to increase female representation, and presented evidence of pay discrimination before and after the October 1975 strike. strike, a meeting was called in August 1975 to develop an action plan. They wrote to many of Iceland's leading women's associations and unions, and with strong support from unions, many women were able to turn to their workplaces for support. Organizers used the media attention to publicly denounce the low pay and gender discrimination women face in the workplace. Despite this, many men still did not pay attention to the strike and thought it would end. On the morning of October 24, 1975, 90% of Icelandic women refused to work or take on domestic duties for the entire day and took to the streets to protest their unequal treatment.”.