On 24 October 1985 women held outdoor meetings to draw attention to their position.
About 18,000 people, mostly women, are thought to have attended the meeting on Lækjartorg. The day’s demands for fair pay for women’s work were prominent. 1985 was the last year of the United Nations Decade for Women, and many other events were organised by women’s organisations. For example, trees were planted all over the country, and a festive meeting was held at Þingvellir on 19 June, exactly 70 years after women gained a limited right to vote and stand for Alþingi (the Icelandic parliament). A Women’s Arts Festival was held, the first of its kind in Iceland. The book Konur, hvað nú? (Women, what now?) was published, with articles by knowledgeable women on legislation, education, employment, pay, leadership, social position, health and culture.
On 24 October a large women’s exhibition opened in the Central Bank building, which was then half finished, called Kvennasmiðja (Women’s Workshop). Its motto was: Woman – work – pay. The exhibition was open for a week, and there the public could learn about women’s part in the workforce. A newspaper of the same name was published, and it holds a wealth of information.
Click the picture to see the newspaper Kvennasmiðja on timarit.is.
