UN EXPERT GROUP URGES NEW ICELANDIC AUTHORITIES TO SUSTAIN GENDER EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS

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From: UNNews <UNNews@un.org>
Date: 24 May 2013 18:00:00 -0400
Subject: UN EXPERT GROUP URGES NEW ICELANDIC AUTHORITIES TO SUSTAIN
GENDER EMPOWERMENT EFFORTS
To: news11@ny-mail-p-lb-028.ptc.un.org

UN EXPERT GROUP URGES NEW ICELANDIC AUTHORITIES TO SUSTAIN GENDER
EMPOWERMENT EFFORTSNew York, May 24 2013 6:00PMAs the world's top
performer on gender equality, Iceland needs to sustain its
achievements and bridge remaining gaps on employment and gender based
violence, a group of independent United Nations experts today urged as
the country's newly formed Government took office.

"There is no room for complacency regarding the gains achieved by
Iceland, as equality guarantees in the law are still far from being
fully implemented on the ground,"
<"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13354&LangID=E">said
Kamala Chandrakirana, who currently heads the UN Working Group on
discrimination against women in law and in practice.

The country was designated number one in the world for gender equality
by the World Economic Forum during the years it was dealing with the
worst economic crisis in its history.

The UN experts praised the Government for integrating gender equality
throughout its policy making, but noted that "persistent gaps" remain
on employment and gender based violence, "In both these areas,
implementation of laws is lacking and women do not have sufficient
trust in the system to seek redress for violations of their rights."

Despite the fact that an act on equal pay for equal work has been in
force since 1961, the gender pay gap still persists, noted human
rights expert Frances Raday, the other member of the Group's eight-day
delegation visiting Iceland.

"The gender pay gap cannot be divorced from the highly segregated job
market in Iceland," Ms. Raday stressed. "Women's work is concentrated
in public service jobs, most prominently nursing and elementary
teaching, both notably low paid. Women hold a low percentage of
leadership positions, especially in the private sector."

Regarding the issue of Gender-based violence, the experts highlighted
that there is no specific and separate provision targeting domestic
violence in the Penal Code.

In addition, the Working Group noted that disparities between the
number of prosecutions and convictions related to the UN Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women have not been
addressed sufficiently.

The Working Group also encouraged the Icelandic authorities to pass an
anti-discrimination bill and to provide adequate support for
organizations which enable persons of foreign origin, particularly
women, to participate fully in economic, social, public and political
life.

During its eight-day mission, the Group's delegation met with
Government officials at national and local levels, representatives of
civil society organisations, as well as experts and academics and
other stakeholders in Reykjavík, Akureyri and Dalvík.

Special rapporteurs are appointed by the Human Rights Council to
examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human
rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN
staff, nor are they paid for their work. Their report will be
presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June of next year.May 24
2013 6:00PM
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