Rut Einarsdóttir: Gender Equality Through Different Lenses

Before arriving in Japan, the last destination, the 114th voyage participants had been at sea for a long time. During this time on the ship, participants had a great opportunity to learn about gender and women’s rights in Iceland from Rut Einarsdóttir. Rut Einarsdóttir is the former Secretary General of the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association (IWRA) and serves as the Chair of the Icelandic Human Rights Centre. 

^{Gender is a popular topic on Peace Boat}

In her lecture [Feminism Iceland, a “Gender Equal” Country], Rut led the participants through the chronological history of the feminist movement in Iceland, highlighting that equal rights do not come automatically but are something we have to fight for. Iceland has made lots of acts and laws, but equality is still not complete. She introduced some major landmark gender policies, like the Equal Pay Standard and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign. The audience, mostly from Asian countries, was very fascinated with Iceland's gender policies and feminism movement, and it made them think about what they could do in their own part of the world to achieve those Icelandic standards.

^{Describing different milestones in Iceland's journey towards gender equality}

Rut’s second lecture titled [Feminism and Disarmament] was based on her master's thesis. This lecture focused on what kind of role women have in peacebuilding and how women participate in disarmament diplomacy. She introduced United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), as official statements that acknowledge and encourage the inclusion of women. Explaining the reason why the inclusion of women in peacebuilding is vital, she emphasized the unique and distinguished stance women are put in socially and structurally. She also remarked on the significance of disarmament in achieving the goal of global gender equality. Wrapping up her second lecture, Rut introduced several ways individuals can contribute to the inclusion of women in peacebuilding. It was a wonderful opportunity for the participants to learn and consider women’s role in disarmament and an empowering lecture for women, reminding them of their potential.

Recognizing gender stereotypes

Rut’s third lecture titled [Gender Stereotypes] focused on the types of sexist stereotypes we encounter in our daily lives, and how they are reinforced through media affecting both women and men. Explaining the term “media glasses”, Rut mentioned the role of media in how they influence the view of gender in a traditional way, with men being powerful and wealthy and women being young and beautiful. She argued that with new concerns emerging related to sexually abusive male behavior and the decentralization of new media forms, it is civil society’s responsibility to stop the linkage between value systems and media content. She also mentioned that although sexism most often affects women, men are also significantly constrained by having to be “masculine” both physically and emotionally. The audience was able to empathize and contemplate their own experience with gender stereotypes, and were reminded to be careful to recognize them, and not be constrained or defined by the general norm. 

^{Understanding the causes and effects of sexism}

Rut’s fourth lecture titled [The Gendered Impact of Corruption in International Trade] dove into how the codetermination of trade policy and bureaucratic corruption impacts gender equality. She explained that although trade seems to be a gender-neutral area, trade theory recognizes that different groups are affected differently by changes in trade policy. Especially women are at a disadvantage due to gender norms and stereotypes. As a bidirectional relationship, gender inequality can also affect trade in reverse. Rut explained this reciprocal relationship from various perspectives, including shifts in trade policies and women's social status as producers, traders, and consumers. She also concluded that knowing how much effect corruption has on international trade, and how much trade has proven to have various gender implications, corruption in international trade is directly hampering gender equality and the improvement of the lives of women. 

Rut’s lectures looked at women’s rights and gender equality from a wide range of perspectives, providing the audience an opportunity to think about the scope and impact of gender relations on their lives.