HeForShe has a clear mission statement, “The world is at a turning point. People everywhere understand and support the idea of gender equality. They know it’s not just a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue. And when these powerful voices are heard, they will change the world. The time for that change is now. HeForShe is inviting people around the world to stand together to create a bold, visible force for gender equality. And it starts by taking action right now to create a gender equal world.” These powerful voices include celebrities, athletes, politicians, and spokespeople all over the world. Names such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jared Leto, Beyoncé, Vice President Joe Biden, and, most notably, campaign leader Emma Watson.
Famous for her role as Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series and Sam in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," Watson has committed herself to UN Women and the HeForShe movement, pushing for a world where gender equality can finally be achieved. She’s proved to the world that she’s much more than just an actress, speaking out publicly at rallies and conferences worldwide. In a speech given at at the United Nations UN Women 2014 to launch her campaign, Emma spoke out about feminism and gender inequality, evident in education opportunities, pay gaps, violence, healthcare, and so much more. For example, women only make 77 cents for every dollar than a man makes. Emma said, “think it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decision-making of my country. I think it is right that socially I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights.”
Her speech focuses heavily on the concept of feminism, and the differences between it’s actual definition of, “The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes,” and the negative connotations that accompany it far too often. Feminism is often thought of and applied to women who are negative, opinionated, selfish, and who place the blame for problems such as this on the shoulders of others. The difference between that stereotype and actual meaning of what feminism stands for could not be more different. The ultimate goal of the feminist movement, as well as the HeForShe campaign, is undoubtable equality between every gender identity in every aspect.
Celebrity endorsers such as Beyoncé have made their affiliation very well known. At first, as a member of all female music group Destiny’s Child in the early 2000s, Beyoncé states, “I've always considered myself a feminist, although I was always afraid of that word because people put so much on it, when honestly, it's very simple. It's just a person that believes in equality for men and women.” Since then, it’s obvious she is no longer afraid of the word. During her 2014 joint tour with husband Jay Z, she took the stage as a large, simple banner reading FEMINIST lit up the stage behind her. Beyoncé is also a strong advocate for positive relationships and equal treatment of everyone, no matter their race, religion, or sexual identity.
UN Women and the leaders of the HeForShe movement aren’t only advocating for others to make a difference and let their voice be heard, they’re doing whatever they can to help out also. They provide services all over the world, such as fundraising through events such as the Walk to End Violence against Women and Girls, sponsoring events such as International Women’s Day, educating their members during annual meetings and chapter events about how they can empower themselves and others to end violence, poverty, and inequality, and organizing student groups designed to create the next generation of gender rights advocates. They’ve created a program titled Learners to Leaders, instituted by UNSC’s Florida Gulf Coast Chapter. They collaborate with UN agencies, international NGOs, and civil society in our efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. Organizations USNC partners with include Amnesty International USA, Women Thrive Worldwide, and Family Violence Prevention Fund.
Ever since the campaign launch in 2014, the movement has taken amazing strides towards their goal. There’s still a long way to go, but the future is growing rapidly. As of March 2016, over 760,000 individuals all across the world have made a commitment to HeForShe, found at heforshe.org, casting their votes concerning which issues are most prominent. As more powerful voices speak up and publicity expands, the goals set forth by Emma Watson and her campaign seem to be more achievable each day.
