Saturday, February 21, 2009

Iceland Women to Lead Nation's Recovery


Iceland, a land of Vikings and majestic Nordic beauty, has the unfortunate honor of being the first country to go completely bankrupt as a result of the current global economic crisis. (Wikipedia Iceland Stub).
Iceland’s economy capsized in October after its biggest banks couldn’t finance short-term debt, crippling the krona and forcing Iceland to seek an emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund. (source).
So naturally, the country's government has resigned and a new prime minister has taken the reins of power. She is quite a woman, and she's not alone. While many are fleeing the state for jobs abroad, Icelandic women are organizing - and they're planning to lead the country out of depression and into recovery with a new model that reflects feminist concerns, perspectives and priorities. Wow. I'm impressed. Read The Guardian's article on the welcome development.

The article quotes Halla Tómasdóttir, who said:

“We have five core feminine values. First, risk awareness: we will not invest in things we don't understand. Second, profit with principles - we like a wider definition so it is not just economic profit, but a positive social and environmental impact. Third, emotional capital. When we invest, we do an emotional due diligence - or check on the company - we look at the people, at whether the corporate culture is an asset or a liability. Fourth, straight talking. We believe the language of finance should be accessible, and not part of the alienating nature of banking culture. Fifth, independence. We would like to see women increasingly financially independent, because with that comes the greatest freedom to be who you want to be, but also unbiased advice."


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