Published on 5th Nov, 2025
A new report by SCI Fellows Charmain Jones and Louise Coyle from the Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network (NIRWN) explores how the world's most gender-equal country achieved transformative change.
Twenty-five years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, Northern Ireland continues to struggle with gender inequality. Women remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces, and the region consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous places in Europe for women, particularly regarding domestic violence and femicide: a legacy not unconnected to the conflict.
But what if there was a roadmap for change?
The Iceland Model
As part of their Social Change Initiative (SCI) Fellowship, Charmain and Louise spent six days in Iceland investigating how a small island nation on the edge of Europe transformed itself from a historically patriarchal society into the world's number one country for gender equality for 13 consecutive years.
There are clear parallels between Iceland and Northern Ireland: both are relatively small populations, island communities with close-knit social ties and share a European periphery geography. Yet Iceland has achieved what Northern Ireland has not – the systematic embedding of gender equality at every level of society.
Key Findings
The research revealed key factors behind Iceland's success, from political will and cultural transformation to structural integration and honest assessment of ongoing challenges. The research found that Icelandic decision-makers demonstrate genuine willingness to address gender inequality, actively seeking out civil society expertise and asking: "Who do we need to work with to achieve our goals?" The government consistently invests in women's groups because they recognise and value the women's movement's role in shaping policy. Meanwhile, cultural change has been embedded through education, with feminist history taught in schools and every secondary school now having a feminist association, creating generations of informed activists.
The report also examines Iceland's approach to representation, government structures and the challenges that remain. Despite leading the world, Icelandic officials openly acknowledge ongoing issues with racism, white feminism and the perfect implementation of gender budgeting. This honesty enables constructive problem-solving rather than complacency.
Lessons for Northern Ireland
The report shows that Iceland's success isn't about having more resources: it's about using them effectively with genuine commitment. The research identifies crucial lessons around education, mainstreaming gender equality across all government departments rather than siloing it, the importance of women's representation in public and political life, partnering effectively with civil society and ensuring gender equality is understood as everyone's responsibility, not solely the work of women and activists.
It also makes a key argument: lasting peace in Northern Ireland requires an intentional plan to embed gender equality at all levels. This isn't just about fairness: it's about building a genuinely peaceful society. As the researchers note, Northern Ireland has not benefited from the implementation of UN Resolution 1325 and this absence has tangible consequences for women's safety, economic participation and political representation.
Iceland's journey shows that change is possible within a generation and with political will and systematic implementation, Northern Ireland could achieve similar transformation.
