On Tuesday, HeForShe activist Emma Watson addressed the U.N. General Assembly with a report on the campaign’s 10x10x10 IMPACT which encourages universities to balance the level of gender equality on its campuses.
“We know that if you change students experiences so they have different expectations of the world around them, expectations of equality, society will change.” Watson said.
Since the launch of HeForShe back in 2014, Watson and the campaign have worked to soften the horrid stigma of feminism and to encourage male involvement in the movement.
With the ridiculously early release of Brock Turner, who raped a female student of Stanford University, and other cases of rape victims speaking out on the accusational exchanges while reporting their rapes, Watson reminded her listeners that the level of safety felt by students at their university correlates with their experience within the campus as whole.
“The university experience must tell women that their brain power is valued and not just that, but they belong with the leadership of the university itself; and so importantly right now the experience must make it clear that the safety of women, minorities, and anyone who may be vulnerable is a right, not a privilege.”
What is commendable about any speech Watson gives in regards to gender equality and/or HeForShe is the way she identifies problems and rather than point fingers moves straight into HOW to address those problems.
The activist delivers her messages with such empathy and etiquette, reminding all involved that this isn’t a platform to inflict blame. It is a union to invoke change.
I believe this mindset is important to maintain in all aspects of life and in the engagement of issues we as a world see today.
So grab a cup of coffee and get ready to be inspired! Watch Watson’s report here: