Watch Emma Watson’s Latest Speech On Gender Equality
the un global goodwill ambassador
For a few months now, U.N. Global Goodwill Ambassador (and sometimes actress) Emma Watson has been at the forefront of the feminist movement, working to enact change and enforce gender equality via HeForShe—"a solidarity movement that calls upon men and boys to stand up against the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally." Since the organization's first conference, the initiative has generated over 1.2 billion social media conversations, and given Watson's latest speech, we anticipate that number to triple in size.
"It is my belief that 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," Watson said at the World Economic Forum in Davos today. "And they know that the world is being held back in every way because they are not. Women share this planet 50/50 and they are under-represented, their potential astonishingly untapped."
To further the HeForShe initative, the organization is launching its second phase: IMPACT 10X10X10. According to the UN womens' website, it is "a one-year pilot effort that aims to engage governments, corporations and universities as instruments of change positioned within some of the communities that most need to address deficiencies in women’s empowerment and gender equality." The five-minute speech didn't go into specifics or announce a particular plan, but Watson did make a call for action. Asking girls, husbands, parents, businessmen, writers, CEOs, and young men to speak about their stories:
"Girls: Who have been your mentors? Parents: Did you make sure you treated your children equally? If so, how have you done it? Husbands: Have you been suppporting your female partner privately so that she can fulfill her dreams too? Young men: Have you spoke up in a conversation when a woman was casually degraded or dismissed? How did this affect you? How did this affect the women you stepped up for? Businessmen: Have you mentored, supported or engaged women in leadership positions? Writers: Have you challenged the language and imagery used to portray women in the media? CEOs: Have you implemented the women’s empowerment principles in your own company? What change have you seen?"
Go to HeForShe.org or use #HeForShe to tell your story.
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