Emma Watson to U.N.: Female Students’ Safety a Right, Not a Privilege
‘A university should be a place of refuge that takes action against all forms of violence,’ the ‘Harry Potter’ actress said at the United Nations.
Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty
Emma Watson delivered a report to the United Nations on Tuesday about women’s treatment at universities, and she used the occasion to give a powerful speech about the rights of female and minority students.
“The experience must make it clear that the safety of women, minorities, and anyone who may be vulnerable is a right, and not a privilege,” the Harry Potter actress and U.N. goodwill ambassador said.
The report Watson presented, called the HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 University Parity Report, laid out the specific commitments made by 10 participating universities—including the University of Oxford and Georgetown University—to achieve gender parity. Watson launched HeForShe, an advocacy group for the equal treatment of women, in 2014.
“We believe that students should leave university believing in, striving for, and expecting societies of true equality,” Watson said.