Equal Pay For Men and Women in Iceland
Iceland has become the first country to make it illegal to pay women less than men. The new law, which took effect on January 1, imposes a fine on companies and government organisations employing more than 25 workers if they pay men more than women. The Scandinavian country wants to eliminate the pay gap between the sexes completely within the next four years.
Iceland has been considered the world's fairest country in terms of gender equality for the past nine years. In a country where half of the parliamentarians are female, women still earn about 15% less than men. The new Icelandic law aims at helping to change the attitude towards women in business and politics.
According to the World Economic Forum, a Swiss-based non-profit organisation, there is a global 58 % difference in pay between the sexes. Economic experts predict that, if the current trend continues, women will have to wait over two hundred years to get equal pay and the same opportunities at work.
There is also a lack of female politicians. Only a quarter of the world's politicians is female and fewer than one in five ministers are women. Only 23% of the world's parliamentary seats go to females.
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Words
- according to = as reported by ...
- aims at = wants to achieve something
- attitude = the feelings you have about someone or something
- considered = thought to be
- current trend = if the situation of today goes on
- eliminate = get rid of; do away with
- employ = to give a person work
- equal = the same
- gender equality = the same chances and opportunities for men and women
- global = worldwide
- illegal = against the law
- impose = to force people to accept something
- in terms of = if you look at or observe closely
- lack = not enough
- law = rule or regulation that a country has
- non-profit = to use the money you get to help other people
- opportunities = chances
- parliamentarian = member of parliament
- pay gap = the difference in the amount of money men and women get for their work
- predict = to say that something will happen in the future
- quarter = 25%
- seat = here: an elected member of parliament
- Swiss-based = organisation that operates out of Switzerland
- take effect = start; become law