Watson will advocate for the HeForShe campaign, which encourages men and boys to speak out in support of gender equality
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Actress Emma Watson, who rose to fame playing the feisty Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" films, has taken on a new role promoting women’s rights as a U.N. ambassador.
She announced on Twitter: "So excited to start work with the AMAZING people at UN Women!" She posted a link to the U.N. Women website, causing a surge in traffic which crashed the site.
Watson will advocate for the HeForShe campaign, which encourages men and boys to speak out in support of gender equality. The 24-year-old has been involved in the promotion of girls' education for several years, having visited Bangladesh and Zambia.
"Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting," Watson said in a statement on the U.N. Women’s website on Tuesday.
As well as eight "Harry Potter" films, Watson has also starred in "Noah" and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". In May she graduated from Brown University in the United States with a degree in English Literature.
The actress is the first goodwill ambassador to be appointed under U.N. Women’s new head, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. “I am convinced that Emma's intellect and passion will enable U.N. Women’s messages to reach the hearts and minds of young people globally," she said.
The agency, also known as The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, aims to accelerate the progress of gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.
Other celebrities to have had high profile roles with the U.N. include Angelina Jolie, David Beckham, Stevie Wonder and Katy Perry.
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