In Celebration of Women

February 1st was Kvenfelagskonunnar - a day in Iceland to celebrate women's organisations.

To celebrate Rita decided that she would meet and honour some women in Olasfsjordur. 

Here are some that she met. 

Here is Lenka, she is very clever as she is always in the library doing some administration, I think her work involves reviewing the Icelandic education system. She is originally from Slovakia but she has a husband who is from the area and two young children. She is funny and she speaks excellent English. 

This is Rachel Beetz she is a Skammdegi Artist. Rachel is a musician and composer from California.

She is also performing in Reykjavik during her stay here. For Skammdegi she is making a 30 hour long composition, each hours score is composed from photographs taken each night over 30 days. She is also knitting hundreds of balls like this, which will have lights inside. 

Her show is on in the Natural History Museum in Olafsfjordur Sat 13th Feb 9 am - Midnight. 

This is Hadla ( that is probably not the way to spell it ) she was covering for Loa in the supermarket, because Loa was ill. Hadla usually works there at the weekend, I think she is probably a student.

Here is a young woman - I'm afraid Rita has forgotten her name, but she is originally from Poland - she is definitely a student at school.

Here is a young Lady who you might have seen before, Ellis O'Connor an Artist from Dundee in Scotland.She is a painter and photographer, she is funny and her English is not too bad. She has work on at the Listhus gallery and also a solo show in Akureyri. Although Ellis says she loves Dundee she is never there as before she came to Olafsfjordur she was on a residency in Skagastrond and next winter she will be Artist in residence in the Shetlands.

This is Snowluhr ( I have no idea how to spell it ) she is the Yoga teacher , she teaches yoga in Olafsfjordur on Mondays and Thursdays 5 - 6.15 in the yellow building ( the back of the fish factory ) I haven't been because I only just found out where it is.

It's in here. 

Iceland has the highest gender equality in the World. 

Across the Globe during the last decade the number of women who work outside the home has risen to 250 million. In 98 countries there are more women graduating at university than men. In Iceland women make up 64% of graduates. This increased level in education is not reflected in wage increases. 

In Iceland for every 100 Euros a man earns a woman will earn 86. If Iceland is the best country in terms of the gender equality gap what does this say about the rest of the World. 

According to the report taken from the global gender gap index, the economic gap is not predicted to close till 2133. 

When I read that this morning I thought it said 2033  - not good enough for my daughter, but maybe any granddaughters I might have - but no 117 years before there is no pay gap. 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Excuse me ?