Iceland's women's strike terms up the heat in the battle for equal pay.

Hello and you're listening to the Marketplace Morning Report live from the BBC World Service.

I'm Leanna Byrne.

A very good morning and thanks for joining us.

Iceland is generally regarded as being a posture child for gender equality.

In fact, it has topped the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index 14 years in a row.

But today the country is going to have one of its biggest gender pay protests and almost 50 years

with a full day women strike. Lillia dog Alfred Jotier, the Minister for Tourism, Trade and Culture

in the Icelandic government, is also taking part and she believes the day will have a lasting

impact on the next generation.

We celebrate this day because this is impact on the next generation.

We celebrate this day because this is a day that women's rights are celebrated worldwide.

And in 1975 was the first strike or it was called then the day off where about 90% 9.0 of all women

They decided to stop working in order to emphasize the importance that they have in the labor force.

And one of the aims of these actions is also the awareness of the different position that men women often have at the household.

So just a discussion will improve matters in many places.

And for instance, I have a daughter who is 14 years old she will not

tend any classes where women are teaching her I have a son who's 16 year old you wouldn't

have this discussion unless these actions were taken.

And I can also tell you that the wage gap in Iceland is probably one of the smallest.

That was Lilliard-Alfred's dotier, the Minister for Tourism, Trade and Culture in the

Icelandic government.

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