Known more for her role as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter than for her dedication towards catalyzing gender equality, Emma Watson has spent many years committed to empowering women around the world. She currently holds a powerful role as the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and recently spoke at the World Economic Forum about the gender equality initiative that UN Women is focusing on.
At the Forum, Watson talked about UN Women’s, HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 initiative—a one-year pilot effort that aims to reach out to governments, corporations, and universities worldwide as instruments of change in communities to facilitate women’s empowerment and gender equality. During her speech, Watson emphasized, “There is a greater understanding than ever that women need to be equal participants in our homes, in our societies, in our governments, and in our workplaces. And they know that the world is being held back in every way because they are not.”
HeForShe is a solidarity movement that calls upon men and boys to stand up against the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally. Their partnership with UN Women in this initiative will reach out to as many communities as possible and engage not just men and boys, but governments, corporations, and universities in addressing deficiencies in gender equality. HeForShe’s campaign strengthens support for women’s rights as human rights, and Watson couldn’t be more correct when she said that there is a greater understanding right now, more than ever, that women need to be equal participants in this world.
To learn more about gender equality and this initiative, visit www.unwomen.org and www.heforshe.org.