III. Legal framework and policy measures, with a focus on the economic and financial crisis
A. Legal framework
24. Legislative developments have also taken place in the area of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. The Marriage Act, adopted in 2010, establishes a gender-neutral definition of marriage and applies to both heterosexual and same-sex couples. In addition, a new law on the rights of transgender individuals was adopted in June 2012, improving their legal status.
25. The Working Group notes that at the time of its visit three separate antidiscrimination bills had been under discussion for quite some time: the bill on equal treatment in the labour market, whose objective is to combat discrimination, establish and maintain equal treatment of persons in the labour market regardless of a person’s race, ethnic origin, religion, belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or transgender identity; a bill on equal treatment, aimed at ensuring equal treatment in relation to social protection, including social security, health care and education, regardless of a person’s race and ethnic origin; and a bill on equality in administration, whose purpose is to combine in one legislative instrument the provision of administration in relation to equal treatment, regardless of prohibited grounds, and in relation to gender equality.
Link to full text of the report: Report-WGWomen-Iceland-2014-eng