REYKJAVÍK ICELAND
Community of actions
Deloitte
Every member of the global board and executive to sponsor at least one woman... accelerating the careers of thousands of women
CBS News Digital, CBSN
More than 50% of guests during the 2020 presidential campaign will be intersectional
Icelandair
To become an industry leader in responsibility
Nobel Women’s Initiative
Korea Peace Now
Member of Shura Council, Kingdom of Bahrain
Legislations that prohibit unequal remuneration
Real Relief
Start local production of SafepadTM in 3 African countries.
Allison Dunne
Tackle biases
World YMCA
To advance the cause of Youth Empowerment with a focus on inclusion and equity
Basque Government
15% of the budget to incorporate the gender perspective to planning for 2021
President Observatory Of Violence Against Women
To promote the voice of women victims of violence from a partner and post marital violence
African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management
to mobilise at least 10 governments to address and integrate menstrual health
Penang State Minister
International Summit
University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas
The Lancet commission on Gender-Based Violence based at the University of Miami
FAIR PAY INNOVATION LAB
To raise awareness on fair pay and pay equity
Ottawa’s Homeless Period
To fiercely advocate for women's advancement
ROMZAIB Foundation
To empower 100 women and girls through skill-building in production of reusable sanitary pads
Equality League
To create bridges between sport and other sectors for whom inequity in pay, opportunities, and investment all resonate
Be Girl
To reach 20,000 adolescents with our age- appropriate SmartCycle menstruation education workshops
Former State Secretary of Romania
To bring 10.000 new women to politics nation wide
The Kwek Society
To expand our reach to more indigenous students
Equal Measures
To equip thousands of gender equality champions with the SDG Gender Index
Member of Parliament, Hellenic Parliament of Greece
To actively support a small group of young women refugees
The Case For Her
To ignite and continue to build a comprehensive, evidence-based Menstrual Health agenda and movement.
Plan International
To promote the leadership of adolescent girls and young women
J-Pal South Asia
To build skills in gender analysis and gender sensitive external communications
Cocoro Advanced Lingerie for Periods
Participation of our members on different actions
Huru International
To provide 15,000 girls with our reusable menstrual pads along with education
Grow and Know
To reach an additional 30,000 girls and boys with puberty books in low- income countries
Plan International Global Hub
A mini documentary about youth activism, and centring young women, working to end FGM
AFRIpads
To reach over 100,000 girls and women with our integrated menstrual health support
Days For Girls International
Turning periods into pathways for women, girls and communities around the globe
Natalie Deacon – AVON
Kick-start more entrepreneurs, increase training and grants for female innovators
Tynwald, Isle of Man
Embedding equality in practice
Carla Aerts – Tmrw Institute
Empowerment of girls who have limited or no access to education
Young Delegate of Ukraine to the Council of Europe
Educational platform for women and girls
Camelia Ilie Cardoza, Roberto Artavia, Guillermo Cardoza, Jaime Garcia
To disseminate SPI and WPI in Latin America
100 words for peace
Collecting opinions from 100 countries
The Reykjavík Global Forum creates positive measurable change. In the spirit of ‘Power, Together’ the Forum launched its Community of Actions…
Featured conversationists
Afke
Schaart
VP and Head of Europe, Russia and Eurasia at GSMA
Amanda
Ellis
Executive Director Hawaii & Asia Pacific, Senior Sustainability Scholar
Ameenah
Gurib-Fakim
President of Mauritius (2015-2018), Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Amy
Weaver
President, Legal & Corporate Affairs of Salesforce
Angela
Todisco
Head of Human Resources, EMEA North, SAP
Anita
Bhatia
Deputy Executive Director of UN Women
Ann
Cairns
Vice Chairman, Mastercard
Anthony
Onesto
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Ella Adventures
Atifete
Jahjaga
President of the Republic of Kosovo (2011-2016), Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Bana
al-Abed
Activist
Barbara
Boxer
Former Member of the Senate, Senate of the United States of America
Barri
Rafferty
Chief Executive Officer, Ketchum
Beatriz
Merino
Executive President of the Cesar Vallejo University of Peru, Prime Minister of Peru (2003), National Ombudsman for Peru (2005 – 2011), Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Catherine
Gotani Hara
Speaker of the Parliament, Malawi
Chioma
Agwuegbo
Founder, TechHerNG
Christine
Heenan
Founder and President of Clarendon Group
Christy
Tanner
Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS News Digital
Dagur
B. Eggertsson
Mayor of Reykjavík, City of Reykjavik
Dalia
Grybauskaitè
President of Lithuania (2009-2019), Chair Emerita of the Council of Women World Leaders (2014-2019), Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Dina
Kaplan
Founder, The Path
Dirk
Luyten
Managing Director, INSEAD
Donna
Dasko
Senator, Senate of Canada
Donna
Leinwand Leger
Digital Media Leader & Former Managing Editor of USA Today
Elaine
Quijano
Anchor, CBSN
Eliza
Jean Reid
First Lady, President of Iceland
Emma
Codd
Managing Partner for Talent, Deloitte
Ewurama
Appiagyei-Dankah
Campus Sexual Assault Coordinator at State of Michigan Division of Victim Services, Running Start Fellow, Girl2Leader Delegate
Felicia
Knaul
Director, Americas Institute, University of Miami President, Tomatelo a Pecho, A.C.
Gita
Gopinath
Chief Economist, the IMF
Guðni
Th. Jóhannesson
President of Iceland
Gwen
Young
Managing Director of the Global Emergency Response Coalition and Distinguished Fellow, The Wilson Center
Hanna
Birna Kristjánsdóttir
Chair of The Reykjavik Global Forum Member of the WPL Board Senior Advisor on Women's Leadership, UN Women
Henrike
von Platen
CEO & Founder of FPI Fair Pay Innovation Lab gGmbH
Hiltrud
D. Werner
Member of the Board of Management, Integrity and Legal affairs, Volkswagen AG
Jacqueline
Hunt
Member of the Board of Management, Asset Management, US Life Insurance at Allianz SE
Jane
Geraghty
Chief Executive Officer, Landor
Jewel
Taylor
Vice-President of the Republic of Liberia, President of the Senate of Liberia and Member of the WPL Executive Board
Joanna
Santinon
Partner sponsor for EY Women's Network, EY
Jody
Williams
Chair Nobel Women's Initiative
Julia
Gillard
Prime Minister of Australia (2010-2013), Chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Katrín
Jakobsdóttir
Prime Minister of Iceland, Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Lana
Popovic
President Central and Eastern Europe Business Unit, The Coca-Cola Company
Laura
Liswood
Secretary General, Council of Women World Leaders
Loren
Mayor
President, Operations, National Public Radio (NPR)
Mabel
Van Oranje
Chair, Girls Not Brides
Maggie
MacDonnell
Global Teacher Prize Winner
Mama
Cax
Haitian-American Blogger & Disability Advocate
Maria
Ressa
Co-founder and CEO of Rappler
Mariana
Frenk Knaul
Student Advocate
Michele
Parmelee
Global Chief People and Purpose Officer, Deloitte
Michelle
Harrison
Global CEO, Public Division, Kantar
Naina
Subberwal
Chairperson and CEO, AVPN
NYIRASAFARI
Esperance
Rwandan lawyer and politician, Senate Vice President 3rd Parliament (2019-2024)
Oby
Ezekwesili
Presidential Candidate (2019), Minister of Education (2006-2007), and Minister of Solid Minerals (2005-2006), Nigeria; Vice-President for Africa at the World Bank (2007-2012)
Patricia
Daley
Canada Diversity & Inclusion Leader, Deloitte
Patricia
Milligan
Senior Partner and Global Leader of When Women Thrive and Multinational Client Group, Mercer
Paula
Ann Cox
Premier of Bermuda (2010-2012), Member of the Council of Women World Leaders
Rangita
de Silva
Associate Dean of International Affairs at University of Pennsylvania Law School and Special Adviser to the President of Wellesley College on Women's Leadership
Renee
Lahti
SVP, Chief Information Officer, Hitachi Vantara
Rosie
Campbell
Director of GIWL, King’s College London
Sandie
Okoro
Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the World Bank Group
Sarah
Adowa Safo
Deputy Majority Leader & Minister for Procurement, Parliament of Ghana
Sawyer
Garrity
Student, Frost School of Music, University of Miami, Co-founder, ShineMSD
Silvana
Koch-Mehrin
President of WPL
Sonja
Schenkel
Artist - Enterpreneur, Paititi Lab
Steingrímur
J. Sigfússon
Speaker of the Althingi, Parliament of Iceland
Tuula
Haatainen
First Deputy Speaker, Parliament of Finland
Uzra
Zeya
President and CEO, The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP)
Valerie
Keller
Co-Founder & CEO of IMAGINE, Host of the WPL Trailblazer Awards & Power, Together Awards 2019
Victoria
Budson
Founding Executive Director of the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Þórdís
Kolbrún Reykfjörð
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation
OUR Story
Imagine Women Leaders from all continents creating significance and impact, like for example the World Economic Forum (WEF) does, but with a difference in style. When Silvana Koch-Mehrin, Founder and President of the Women Political Leaders (WPL), and Hanna Birna Kristjansdottir, Chair of the Board, experienced the WEF in January 2017, they were determined to turn “imagine?” into “we can do it!”.
They were convinced that Iceland, as the best country for women (according to the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report) would be the perfect location for a Reykjavík Global Forum. A conference, bringing together women leaders from all sectors: politics, business, tech, science, media etc. Having convened Women Political Leaders in Iceland in November 2017, the next step was obvious: make it a tradition. WPL with the Government and the Parliament of Iceland are since annually co-hosting a multi-stakeholder Reykjavík Global Forum. The Forum had its inaugural event in November 2018 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
ICELAND: THE GLOBAL CHAMPION OF EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN
The Reykjavík Global Forum takes place in Iceland. For many years Iceland has been the global champion in the WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report which examines disparities between men and women in terms of political empowerment, economic opportunity, education and health.
milestones that matter:
1915
Women gain national suffrage and the right to hold office
1922
The first woman elected to the Icelandic Parliament
1961
Equal Pay Act approved by the Parliament
1975
Women nationwide take a day off on October 24
1976
Equality Act approved and the Equaliry Council is founded
1980
The first nationally elected female president in the world
1982
The Women’s Alliance runs for Parliament
1995
Equal rights of women and men stated in the constitution
2003
Equal rights of women and men of parental leave
2010
Companies are obliged to have 40% women or men on board
4 things that made the difference
Equal Parental Leave
9 Months (3 for women, 3 for men and 3 to share). A combination of guaranteed daycare and parental leave allows women to continue working post-children. Over several years, men taking parental leave is up to 90%.
Equal Pay Law
On 1 June 2017, Iceland passed an instrumental law requiring proof from all Icelandic companies that they are paying men and women equally for doing the same job.
Strong Female Role Models and Women in Power
47% of MP’s are women, over 65% of members in local governments are women; over 65% of university students of women; 80% of women participate in the labour market.
Consensus From Left to Right
Icelandic women have, in most cases, agreed upon the greatest gender equality steps taken, across party lines.
Sustainability policy
Reykjavík Global Forum is committed to a sustainable future and has the ultimate ambition of being carbon-neutral. Following expert advice the Forum will focus on the environmental impact of the event itself.
This is a first step on an extremely important road towards the sustainability goals that are being developed.
We value the importance of minimising the environmental impact of the event by adopting best practices wherever possible. We encourage our Conversationists, partners and suppliers to do the same and focus on environmentally friendly solutions and respectful treatment of the environment. Based on our mission and insights from our partners, we are aware that a large international event can put a strain on resources and have a negative environmental impact. But, in order to address our responsibility, the Forum, using the principles of Reduce – Remove – Recycle, has identified the following areas as focus points:
- THE USE OF ENERGY
- APPLYING TRAVEL INITIATIVES
- RECYCLING
- CATERING THE EVENT
- SUPPLY CHAIN
- BEST PRACTICES