Iceland is generally considered to be one of the leading countries in the world in regard to the human rights enjoyed by its citizens. Human rights are guaranteed by Sections VI and VII of Iceland's Constitution. Since 1989, a post of Ombudsman exists. Elections are free and fair, security forces report to civilian authorities, there is no state violence, and human rights groups are allowed to operate without restriction. Religious freedom is guaranteed, and discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal.
The General Committee of the Icelandic Parliament, the Althingi, is responsible for the legislative oversight of human rights.
In a 2012 interview, a member of the UN Human Rights Committee singled out two principal human-rights problems in Iceland: “inequality between women and men...especially in the labour market” and the “sexual abuse of children.”
Althing Ombudsman
Althing ombudsman is elected by parliament. Individuals can file complaints with the ombudsman about the actions of public officials, and the ombudsman may demand to see government reports and compel officials to give testimony. Although the ombudsman can only issue recommendations, not orders, the government generally acts upon those recommendations.
Civil liberties
Iceland's constitution guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. Iceland has full Internet freedom, academic freedom, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of religion. There is also full freedom of movement within the country, freedom to travel abroad, to move out of the country and move back. Iceland accepts refugees; forced exile is illegal. Iceland's 2008 banking crisis, however, affected certain freedoms, in the view of economists Jon Danielsson and Ragnar Arnason. They noted in a November 2011 article that “Icelandic firms seeking to invest abroad need rarely-granted permission from the Central Bank. Icelandic citizens need a government authorisation for foreign travel, since a Central Bank licence is needed to get tightly rationed foreign currency for travel. Any individual seeking to emigrate from Iceland is at least partially locked in by the capital controls by virtue of not being able to transfer his or her assets abroad, a restriction on emigration not commonly seen in democracies. This disregard of individuals’ civil rights as a result of the capital controls violates Iceland's legal commitments under the European four freedoms.”
Rights of victims of rape and domestic abuse
While rape can be punished by up to 16 years in prison, the typical sentence is no more than three years. There have been complaints that in cases of rape the burden of proof is so heavy that it discourages the reporting and prosecution of such crimes. Although the punishment for domestic violence can also be up to 16 years in prison, with the law permitting judges “to increase the sentences of persons who commit violence against persons with whom they had a domestic relationship or other close bond,” there were no domestic violence cases in 2010 in which sentences were increased. Moreover, the number of women seeking medical help and counselling in the wake of domestic incidents significantly exceeds the number actually reporting such incidents, and some observers explain this by pointing to the infrequency of actual convictions and the lenient sentences for those convicted.
Icelandic law defines sexual harassment very broadly, essentially including any activity that is perceived as disrespectful. Those who consider themselves to have been harassed can report incidents to the Complaints Committee on Equal Status. While Icelandic courts have the power to issue restraining orders, critics have complained that such orders did not have the desired effect because they were granted too infrequently and took too long to be issued. Victims of sexual harassment have the right to be represented by lawyers, but most such victims choose not to take legal action.
Family rights and gender equality
Icelanders have the right to determine for themselves how many children they will have; they enjoy free access to contraceptives as well as to prenatal, obstetric, and postpartum care. Women are equal to men under the law, but earn less on average. The Centre for Gender Equality (CGE) promotes gender equality and provides counselling and education on the subject to various public and private institutions. Violations of gender equality are adjudicated by the Complaints Committee on Equal Status, whose members are appointed by the minister of social affairs and social security, who also appoints members of the Equal Status Council, which makes recommendations for improving workplace equality.