Emma Watson is SLAYING it. The 28-year-old actress and Time’s Up UK activist launched the #HeForShe campaign calling for men to advocate for gender equality, she runs a feminist bookclub and she’s a UN goodwill ambassador. Her next mission? Put an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.
In her latest game-changing move, Emma has encouraged women to understand their workplace rights by launching a harassment legal advice line. The free service backed up by Time’s Up UK justice and equality fund was founded as a result of the actresses horror over current helplines for women in England and Wales.
The aim is to provide women with the expertise and confidence to put a stop to inappropriate office behaviour. As stated by Rights of Women’s senior legal officer, Deeba Syed: “This advice line’s purpose is to empower women to exercise their legal rights in the workplace.”[/i] By encouraging women to stand their ground and make informed choices, Emma hopes to dismantle current office structures that allow workplace discrimination to slip under the radar.
“It finally feels like people are realising the scale of the problem, and I’m certainly hopeful that with global standards such as the recent International Labour Organization treaty on harassment at work we’ll start to see a new climate of prevention and accountability on this issue domestically,” she stated.
This is a timely move from the Harry Potter actress given that one in two women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. With advice provided by the charity Rights of Women, Watson said: “Understanding what your rights are, how you can assert them and the choices you have if you’ve experienced harassment is such a vital part of creating safe workplaces for everyone, and this advice line is such a huge development in ensuring that all women are supported, wherever we work.”
And that, people, is why Emma Watson is one of today’s greatest feminist icons. Case closed.
