Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Commend Iceland’s Move to Establish a National Human Rights Institute, Ask about the Implications of the Recent Immigrant Influx and Volcanic Activity in Reykjanes Peninsula
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the fifth periodic report of Iceland, with Committee Experts commending the State’s efforts to establish a national human rights institute, and asking about the implications of the recent increase in immigrants, including on immigrants’ access to skilled work, and volcanic activity in Reykjanes Peninsula.
Mohammed Amarti, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, welcomed that Iceland had taken steps to establish a national human rights institute.
Several Committee Experts asked questions about issues created by the recent increase in immigrants in Iceland. One Expert said unemployment rates were higher among immigrants compared to nationals, and immigrants often took low paying, low skilled work. The language barrier inhibited immigrants’ ability to find skilled work; how was the Government addressing this?
Another Committee Expert inquired about the implications of the recent volcanic eruptions in Reykjanes Peninsula, near the town of Grindavík, and whether the Government was purchasing displaced persons’ houses.
Benedikt Árnason, Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office of Iceland, and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said a significant step towards strengthening human rights in Iceland was taken this June when Parliament passed a law establishing a national human rights institution, which would officially begin its work next year. The Icelandic Institution for Human Rights would have a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights, in line with the Paris Principles.
The share of immigrants in the population had risen from eight to 20 per cent over the reporting period, the delegation noted. Adult immigrants’ labour participation rate was 89 per cent, the highest among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. The Government had issued funds in February to strengthen language training for migrants. It was encouraging migrant workers to join trade unions and pension funds.
The delegation reported that eruptions in the Reykjanes Peninsula affected access to running water for around 10 per cent of the population. In 2023, Grindavík was evacuated due to eruptions. The State party had supported affected inhabitants and businesses to relocate. Persons who lived in Grindavík had the option to sell their houses to the State or to private companies. The Government was considering recovery and development plans for Grindavík.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Amarti said Iceland had significant, well-developed legislation for combatting discrimination and wage inequality, and positive action plans for protecting economic, social and cultural rights and combatting poverty. However, increased migration in recent years presented new challenges for the State party in ensuring the economic, social and cultural rights of migrants. Mr. Amarti called on the State party to address these challenges.
Mr. Árnason, in concluding remarks, said the Committee’s guidance helped the State party to improve in the field of economic, social and cultural rights. Iceland remained committed to promoting human rights and addressing the challenges it faced. The State party would do everything in its power to make improvements wherever necessary.
In her concluding remarks, Laura-Maria Craciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, said she was encouraged by the State party’s desire to promote well-being as well as economic growth, and that she looked forward to Iceland’s continued cooperation with the Committee.
The delegation of Iceland was comprised of representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour; Ministry of Infrastructure; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Education and Children; and the Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public this afternoon, Tuesday, 10 September, at 3 p.m. to begin its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Poland (E/C.12/POL/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Iceland (E/C.12/ISL/5).
Presentation of Report
BENEDIKT ÁRNASON, Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office of Iceland, and head of the delegation, said that since Iceland's last review with the Committee, the world had seen a global pandemic, an increase in armed conflicts, and a global backlash against human rights and gender equality. Iceland also faced challenges with natural disasters causing internal displacement of almost one per cent of its population. These challenges highlighted the fundamental importance of safeguarding human rights for everyone.
A significant step towards strengthening human rights in Iceland was taken this June when Parliament passed a law establishing a national human rights institution, which would officially begin its work next year. The Icelandic Institution for Human Rights would have a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights, in line with the Paris Principles. In July 2024, Iceland also ratified the Revised European Social Charter, accepting six additional articles and reinforcing its commitment to social and economic rights. It aimed to accept even more articles in the future.
Iceland had ranked first on the Global Gender Gap Index for 15 years in a row. However, full gender equality had not yet been reached. In recent years, the State had continued to advance equality through legislative amendments, policies, and increased coordination and monitoring. Icelandic law now provided comprehensive anti-discrimination protection. Earlier this year, Iceland also ranked second on the Rainbow Europe Map and first on Europe’s Transgender Rights Map. This progress reflected efforts such as the enactment of the Gender Autonomy Act and the comprehensive action plan on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights.
Iceland had implemented several measures to create a gender-equal labour market, including equal pay certification. However, challenges remained, particularly due to gender segregation in the labour market and the undervaluation of women-dominated fields. The Government was now focusing on pay equity, comparing not only the same jobs but also different jobs of equal value in terms of education, skills, responsibility and effort. It had also taken steps to improve the right to work of non-European Economic Area citizens, including granting unlimited work permits to all residents holding a humanitarian residence permit and increasing the rights of foreign students to work during and post-graduation.
A strong welfare and health service system was another key priority. Significant legal amendments were set to enter into force on 1 September next year to mitigate early reliance on permanent disability pensions by making it financially beneficial to work part-time, even for those receiving benefits. More than 95 per cent of current benefit holders would receive higher payments following the reform. Last June, a new national policy and action plan on housing was adopted that aimed to ensure that everyone had access to safe, affordable and high-quality housing.
Iceland was proud to have a good health service system. However, the global challenge of staffing also affected Iceland. This was being addressed by the National Council of Staffing and Education in Health Services. One milestone had been achieved this year, with an increase in the number of medical students accepted and enrolled at the University of Iceland.
Regrettably, gender-based and sexual violence remained one of Iceland’s most pressing human rights challenges. To better ensure support for survivors of such violence, a nationwide procedure was being implemented. A special domestic violence team had been established and a registration system was being integrated into the electronic medical record system.
An extensive revision of laws and social frameworks on matters concerning children and children’s rights had taken place. In 2022, a new Act on the Integration of Services in the Interest of Children Prosperity was enacted to enhance early support for children and their families. Significant efforts had been made to ensure that students, at all school levels, received inclusive and equitable education with equal rights and opportunities. A new education policy was adopted in 2021 and several reforms to the education system were underway.
Combatting climate change was a core priority for the Government. In June this year, a new and updated climate action plan with 150 planned actions was introduced. Iceland had also significantly strengthened its framework for sustainable development, with a new national strategy that used the Sustainable Development Goals as guiding principles.
Since the last review, the Government had taken multiple steps towards implementing the Covenant. Although much progress had been made, there was room for improvement. The dialogue offered a valuable opportunity for the State party to reflect on its commitments and to inform the Committee about future work towards ensuring full respect and fulfilment of the Covenant.
Questions by Committee Experts
MOHAMMED AMARTI, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, said the report covered the period from 2010 to 2021. The Committee welcomed that non-governmental organizations had contributed to drafting the report. The Covenant, regrettably, did not have legal force in Iceland as it had not been directly incorporated into the legal corpus, unlike the European Convention on Human Rights. What was the reason for this divergence? Was the Government considering revising its Constitution to allow for international human rights treaties to be incorporated? Why had the State party not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Covenant?
The Committee was satisfied by Iceland’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and its voluntary contributions to the 2030 Agenda. However, Iceland was emitting disproportionate amounts of carbon dioxide. It planned to become carbon neutral by 2040, but there was considerable work to be done yet.
Iceland had adopted a wide-reaching legislative mechanism to combat inequality, but there was a lack of knowledge about this legislation and a low number of complaints registered. Vulnerable groups found it difficult to exercise their Covenant rights. There was also a lack of complete data disaggregated by sex on migrants in Iceland. How was the State party addressing this? Iceland had also yet to set up a strategy to combat corruption. Were there plans to harmonise the work of different organizations working to tackle corruption? How many corruption cases had been brought to justice over the reporting period?
Around two per cent of the population might not have their material needs met. Elderly and migrant populations were among the most at risk of poverty. What measures were in place to tackle extreme poverty and what results had been obtained? What impact had anti-discrimination legislation had on promoting Covenant rights? Were migrants protected by legislation on equality of treatment in the labour market?
Sexual violence was a persistent problem in Iceland, despite legislative progress. There were low rates of convictions in sexual violence cases and proceedings were slow. What measures were in place to tackle sexual violence? Migrant women were more exposed to such violence. How would the Government better protect their rights? What education measures were in place to address the phenomenon? There had been progress in addressing the gender wage gap. What were the reasons for persistent wage gaps in certain sectors?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that the Parliament had agreed this year to establish a national human rights institute, which would start operating next January. It would be fully independent and have a broad mandate to address human rights issues. It would monitor compliance with human rights obligations and participate in the treaty bodies system. It would not deal directly with complaints but would provide guidance on human rights issues.
The Constitution was currently under review. Two legal scholars specialising in human rights had written a report on the human rights portion of the Constitution. They had not recommended significant changes but had suggested adding a provision on the environment. Iceland’s tradition was to adapt its international obligations into domestic legislation. All legal provisions, including the Constitution, were interpreted in accordance with international obligations.
Iceland was satisfied with its sustainable development strategy for 2030, which established a Sustainability Council and aimed to enhance efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The Government’s fiscal strategy regarding well-being was focusing on mental health, secure housing, better work-life balance, carbon neutrality, and innovation growth. Iceland aimed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Almost all heating energy in Iceland came from renewables. The biggest emissions came from the mining, industrial and agricultural sections, and the Government was working to address these.
Iceland had decided to not ratify the Optional Protocol. However, it was working to ensure that all individuals whose rights had been infringed had access to domestic remedies. The Government would soon re-assess whether to ratify the Optional Protocol as the responsible ministry had changed.
Iceland did not have a national anti-corruption policy but was in the process of formulating one. The Steering Committee on Anti-Money Laundering was acting against corruption. The Prime Minister had approved a code of conduct for ministerial employees, and this had been revised in 2023. All employees needed to report gifts that they had received in the public register.
The Government had made strong efforts to combat sexual violence though awareness raising campaigns and national action plans. Various amendments had been made to legislation on sexual violence. A steering committee had been established on implementing the Istanbul Convention and a hotline for reporting sexual violence had been established. Legal amendments had been made to increase protections for victims of sexual violence. In 2023, a law was passed to ensure that health care workers could report sexual violence to the police when they detected it. A brochure on support mechanisms for victims of sexual violence had been produced in various languages for migrant women.
Iceland had two different acts addressing discrimination in and out of the labour market. The laws guaranteed equal treatment of all persons, including migrants. The Equality Complaints Committee received complaints related to discrimination. Most complaints it received related to gender equality. The Directorate of Equality was responsible for implementing the legislation and raising awareness about it. It had distributed posters on the legislation to various companies and schools and was currently developing more promotional materials. In 2018, Iceland became the first country to require employers to obtain equal pay certification. The gender pay gap had decreased in recent years. A working group had been established to address the undervaluing of women’s jobs and develop an equitable values system.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on why Iceland was generally opposed to Optional Protocols; the State party’s position on compulsory due diligence requirements for businesses; measures to address prevalent workplace harassment; the nature and mandate of the Steering Committee on Human Rights; the extent of adaptation of the Covenant into domestic legislation; mechanisms for ensuring access to remedies for persons whose rights had been violated; taxation of property owners; and macroeconomic considerations made in the development of gender policy.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government was considering whether to ratify the Optional Protocol. The Government had previously had the position that it was difficult for an international body to determine whether violations had occurred, and thus preferred to use domestic remedies. There were several administrative authorities that all persons could report rights violations to.
There was a national focal point on business and human rights who was providing guidance to relevant State entities and the private sector on human rights. The State party was translating Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines on business and human rights into Icelandic.
The Steering Committee on Human Rights consisted of members of ministries. The Committee met with civil society when preparing periodic reports, which were published on public consultation fora so that civil society could submit comments on them.
The Occupational Health and Safety Agency was responsible for combatting sexual harassment in the workplace. It had developed an awareness raising campaign that provided information to employers on how to react to sexual harassment. The State party had been developing a policy on immigrants and a four-year action plan for implementing the policy that would be released in November this year. It had consulted with immigrants in developing this policy.
Taxation of personal income was progressive. As earnings increased, so did taxation. There were three tax brackets, the highest of which was 47 per cent of total income. The burden of taxation was higher for those with high incomes. The Gini coefficient in Iceland was 0.24, lower than most European States.
Iceland had 15 years of experience in gender budgeting and had made much progress over this period. There was a five-year plan on gender budgeting being overseen by a dedicated steering committee. The gender impact of the annual budget was assessed. There was an increased focus on an intersectional approach to gender analysis. This budgeting had increased gender awareness within ministries.
There was a lack of data on immigrants. The share of immigrants in the population had risen from eight to 20 per cent over the reporting period. The action plan on immigrants included an action item on collecting data on immigrants; this was extremely important. Adult immigrants’ labour participation rate was 89 per cent.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert commended the State party’s Act on Equal Treatment in the Labour Market. Unemployment rates were higher among immigrants compared to nationals, and immigrants often took low paying, low skilled work. The language barrier inhibited immigrants’ ability to find skilled work; how was the Government addressing this? More than half of all wage and labour violation complaints were made by foreign workers, who only made up about 19 per cent of the workforce. What measures were in place to address this issue and reduce the high levels of unemployment for migrants? Was the State party supporting language education for migrants?
People over 50 had difficulties accessing the labour market. How was the State party supporting them? There were also limited work opportunities for persons with disabilities. There was no incentive for employers to hire persons with disabilities. What measures were in place to address this?
There was no defined national minimum wage standard in Iceland; this needed to be implemented. Were all people covered by collective bargaining? It was good that the State party had implemented the equal pay certification, but little progress had been made in addressing the gender pay gap. Why was this?
There were allegations of abuse of migrants in the tourism and construction sectors. Work permits were only valid for employment with specific employers. Were there plans to change this? What measures were in place to address trafficking for the purposes of labour exploitation? What steps had been taken to protect the rights of persons who had been trafficked?
Around two per cent of the population experienced severe material deprivation. How would the revised social insurance scheme address this issue? Persons between the ages of 60 and 67 were not assured retirement pensions.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said labour participation of migrants in Iceland was the highest in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. A platform for recognition of migrants’ qualifications had been opened. Regulations had also been revised to allow migrant workers to change employers and to extend work visas for young persons to 31 years of age. Temporary work permits for positions requiring special expertise were extended to four years and foreign students had been allowed to stay in the country for up to three years after graduating to look for work. The Government had also issued additional funds in February to strengthen language training for migrants. It was encouraging migrant workers to join trade unions and pension funds.
A project had been launched on promoting the active participation of children with diverse language backgrounds in Icelandic society. Grants had been allocated for schools at all levels to strengthen support for children of foreign origin. Non-governmental organizations also received funds to support such children.
Iceland launched a national action plan on combatting trafficking in persons in 2019 and was currently developing a new iteration of the plan. Funding was provided to various State agencies to combat trafficking. A working group on combatting trafficking in the Nordic region and a group for police to share best practices on combatting trafficking had been established.
The equal pay certification process had influenced companies to reevaluate gender balance within their staff. The Government was now focusing on eliminating gender bias in work to further address the gender pay gap. There was political will to fully implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into Icelandic law. The Government had developed a comprehensive action plan on implementing this Convention, which included actions promoting assisted work for persons with disabilities.
Iceland was reluctant to develop a national minimum wage, which could lead to significant decreases in some wages. Collective bargaining ensured fair wages for employees. There was a wage guarantee fund that ensured that employees were provided with the wages that they were entitled to when employers went bankrupt. Municipalities were obliged to ensure that social security payments met the minimum cost of living in the region. Wages were paid by the Government to persons who were internally displaced due to the recent volcano eruption.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on friction created by the increase in migrants; measures to prevent a drop in unionisation seen in other European countries; and whether there was a data collection system on trafficking in persons and the number of investigations into such crimes.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government was monitoring views toward immigrants, which were generally positive, although there had been a small rise in xenophobic views after the recent influx in migrants. Perceived discrimination was strongly linked to language proficiency. The Government was focusing on promoting language education for migrants to encourage a more inclusive society. Immigrants were included in decision-making processes. The Government had held talks with immigrants and refugees on issues affecting these groups.
Trade union membership was very high in Iceland. Nine out of 10 workers were in trade unions. The Government was not concerned about a drop in unionisation.
Between 2015 and 2021, there were 36 cases of trafficking in persons registered by Icelandic authorities, as well as around 90 cases registered as suspicious. In a high-profile case this year, cooperation between authorities had led to the discovery of several Vietnamese citizens who were suspected victims of trafficking. Shelters had been set up to assist trafficking victims, who also received money to pay for living expenses and support in finding new work.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said persons with disabilities were significantly more likely to experience violence than other persons in Iceland. How did the Child Protection Act help to protect children with disabilities from violence? Were there special protective measures for children and women with disabilities? Had there been an evaluation of policies on the protection of persons with disabilities?
The shortage of housing for migrants was concerning. What progress had been made to develop and implement the proposed housing policy and the related five-year action programme? Who was eligible for housing support? Was there special Government funding to meet the housing needs of migrants?
Spending on health in Iceland was lower than the European Union average in 2022, at 9.7 per cent of gross domestic product. Why was this? Iceland’s hospital capacity was below that of many European countries and there were prolonged waiting times for most elective surgery procedures. The health system was under strain due to the aging population and the lack of medical staff. What steps had been taken to address these issues? What measures were in place to strengthen mental health services, especially for children, and address high child obesity and suicide rates? Suicide was responsible for around two per cent of all deaths in 2020.
In 2023, a legal amendment was made to restrict access to health care and other rights for persons subject to deportation proceedings after being detained for 30 days. Why was this amendment made? How did the State party ensure the rights of asylum seekers subject to deportation who were detained for more than 30 days?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said amendments were made to pension legislation to raise the income ceiling, encouraging people on pensions to take on part-time work. There were around 1,500 persons over the age of 50 who were unemployed. There were special programmes tailored to the needs of these people, including the vocational rehabilitation fund.
In labour legislation, there was no specific definition of forced labour. The Government would evaluate whether to revise legislation in this regard. Authorities had investigated 14 new trafficking cases in 2024, twice that of 2023. There were no convictions for trafficking offences in 2023.
New legislation on the integration of services for children was being developed. It sought to ensure that children with disabilities received the help they required in a timely fashion. Coordinators and case workers helped children with disabilities identify the services that they needed. The Government had worked to educate employers and other parties regarding violence against persons with disabilities. It was updating the information it provided on this issue to make it more accessible.
A housing policy and related action plan was adopted last spring. It aimed to increase the housing supply, particularly for vulnerable groups, and increase the quality, safety and sustainability of housing. Around 55 million United States dollars would be invested each year in housing and construction. Basic housing supports were increased by around 25 per cent under the plan, and a support payment had been made to low-income households to address the increase in housing costs caused by inflation and rising interest rates.
There was ongoing volcanic activity in the Reykjanes Peninsula, near the town of Grindavík. The latest eruption occurred last weekend, and the next eruption would likely occur within the next two months. Eruptions affected access to running water for around 10 per cent of the population. In 2023, Grindavík was evacuated due to eruptions. The State party had supported affected inhabitants and businesses to relocate. This had put extra burden on the housing market.
Health expenditure was lower in Iceland than in other European States because Iceland had a young population and a high gross domestic product per capita. However, the aging population and the tourism boom were expected to increase pressure on the health sector in the future. Waiting times for hip and knee replacements had decreased from 9.5 to 4.6 months recently due to support measures from the Government.
The Government was focused on strengthening mental health teams. A permanent mental health team for prisoners had been established. Telemedicine was provided to ensure access to mental health services in rural areas. Parliament approved a mental health action plan last year, and a mental health council had been set up to oversee the implementation of the plan. The Government was also working to increase the number of healthcare staff to reduce the burden on primary healthcare providers. The number of medical students enrolled in Iceland had increased this year, and post-graduate courses in nursing had been expanded.
The Government was developing a new action plan on suicide prevention to replace the former plan from 2018. A suicide prevention centre and fund had also been established to bolster suicide prevention measures. Iceland’s small population led to fluctuations in the suicide rate year on year, but there were indications that the rate was gradually trending downwards. The national hospital had a health school for obese children, which encouraged improved nutrition and healthy lifestyles for these children.
All applicants for international protection were provided with necessary health services paid for by the State. The Directorate of Labour had hired nurses to attend to people in reception centres. This had led to more timely health care services for applicants. Necessary health services were provided free of charge to persons subject to deportation orders until their departure.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on whether the Government was purchasing houses in Grindavík affected by volcanic eruptions; the cultural and developmental implications of the eruptions; support measures in place for the high number of young people addicted to e-cigarettes; how maternity and paternity leave was provided in practice and its impact; the availability of early childhood care centres and programmes to help mothers return to work; and how the State party assessed whether persons subject to deportation were in vulnerable situations, which determined whether they were eligible for certain services.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said persons who lived in Grindavík had the option to sell their houses to the State or to private companies. The selling price was set at 95 per cent of the house’s valuation before the eruption. They also had the option to buy back their houses. More than 70 per cent of residents had chosen to sell their property. The Government was considering recovery and development plans for Grindavík.
Around six per cent of the population of Iceland smoked daily, which was a low percentage in Europe. However, around 10 per cent of persons aged 15 used e-cigarettes multiple times per week and around 30 per cent of young people used nicotine patches daily. The Government would address this issue.
In April this year, parental leave was extended to six months for each parent, regardless of gender. The Government hoped that this measure would lead to more fathers taking paternity leave. Over the past years, there had been a slow increase in the number of fathers taking parental leave.
The national police commissioner was responsible for determining the vulnerability of persons subject to deportations and voluntary returns. A shelter had been set up for persons subject to deportations to ensure their safety.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said Iceland ranked highly on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index. Could the delegation provide information on dropout rates for migrant and disadvantaged children? There were gaps in performance in education between immigrant and national students. Only 46 per cent of the immigrant children who had enrolled in upper secondary education had graduated. What measures had been implemented to address the barriers faced by immigrant students? The participation of immigrants in vocational training remained low. What measures would the State party take to make vocational education more accessible and attractive for immigrants?
There were reports that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex students suffered higher levels of bullying than other students. What results had been achieved by measures to prevent bullying of these students? The State party had an action plan to bolster education. What measures did it include to support disadvantaged children? There appeared to be a phenomenon of women withdrawing from academic work. Had the State party investigated this?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government was working to change legislation to make education accessible for all. In 2021, Iceland ratified the United Nations Convention against Discrimination in Education. In 2019, around two per cent of students struggled with school avoidance. A database was being set up on school avoidance to inform policies to tackle the problem. New regulations regarding school avoidance and home schooling had been developed. Funding had been adjusted for upper secondary schools, so schools with high levels of vulnerable students received more funding. Schools could use the funds as they saw fit to support these students.
The Government had set up a team of education councillors to support immigrant students in the most prominent languages spoken by immigrant students. The State was supporting initiatives to promote the use of simple Icelandic in classrooms and funding applications that helped immigrants to learn Icelandic terms used in daily life. An online learning platform providing Icelandic language training had also been launched. Language courses would soon be provided to immigrants in shift work. Initiatives had been developed for supporting refugee and asylum-seeking children and educating teachers on supporting foreign children.
Iceland did not promote gender quotas. Gender quotas would in fact lead to a decrease in women’s representation in Parliament and local governments, as women were in the majority in these bodies. A strategic action plan was in place to support the tenure of women in academia, who tended to hold temporary positions. A campaign was also underway to encourage men to pursue higher education, where they were underrepresented.
The Government was pleased with progress on the implementation of the action plan on education. The next iteration of the action plan would span from 2024 to 2027, and would address issues including climate education, mental health and external evaluations of the education system.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on whether human rights education was provided at all levels; the prevalence of Icelandic literature and media and threats to the use of the language; plans to manage Iceland’s increasing cultural diversity; and the content of the policy being developed on drug use.
One Committee Expert welcomed that Iceland had ratified the Covenant without making any reservations to it. Iceland had a good balance between the population and resources.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Iceland had a strong language policy, despite its small population. However, the prevalence of English media did threaten the use of Icelandic. Several hundred books were published in Icelandic each year. The literacy rate in Iceland was very high. Icelandic language had been included in the major artificial intelligence language model Chat GPT-4. An action plan was in place to preserve and support the development of Icelandic, and there was a ministerial committee working to implement the plan.
Human rights education was a fundamental pillar of education at all levels. Children’s elections were also held to teach children the value of democracy and human rights. An immigration development fund had given grants to a project promoting the participation of immigrant parents in parent associations.
A Ministry of Health working group was drafting a harm reduction policy and a related action plan. The policy would consider the safe use of drugs, opioid therapies, and the possession of small quantities of drugs. It was expected to be adopted this year.
Concluding Remarks
MOHAMMED AMARTI, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, thanked the delegation for the interesting dialogue, which it had engaged in in a commendable manner. Iceland had significant, well-developed legislation for combatting discrimination and wage inequality, positive action plans for protecting economic, social and cultural rights and combatting poverty, and measures to improve the lives of vulnerable people. It was welcome that Iceland had taken steps to establish a national human rights institute. However, there were areas where further efforts could be made to enhance the implementation of the Covenant, including the incorporation of the Covenant into the domestic legal order and the ratification of the Optional Protocol. Increased migration in recent years presented new challenges for the State party in ensuring the economic, social and cultural rights of migrants. Mr. Amarti called on the State party to address these challenges.
BENEDIKT ÁRNASON, Permanent Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office of Iceland, and head of the delegation, said the dialogue with the Committee was of great value. The Committee’s guidance helped the State party to improve in the field of economic, social and cultural rights. He expressed hope that the delegation had provided insight into the advancement of human rights in Iceland. Iceland remained committed to promoting human rights and addressing the challenges it faced. The State party would do everything in its power to make improvements wherever necessary.
LAURA-MARIA CRACIUNEAN-TATU, Committee Chair, said that the State party should design its national human rights institute so that it could properly protect economic, social and cultural rights. She said she was encouraged by the State party’s desire to promote well-being as well as economic growth, and that she looked forward to Iceland’s continued cooperation with the Committee.
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