Emma Watson introduces latest equality drive

Actress Emma Watson continued to champion her gender equality campaign on Friday (23Jan15) by unveiling a new initiative at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

The Harry Potter star became a women's rights heroine after she made an impassioned speech at the launch of the #HeForShe gender equality campaign at the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters in New York in September (14).

In her role as a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador, she rallied feminists worldwide on subjects such as equal rights and pay, and Watson is now helping to launch the next phase of the #HeForShe movement.

Watson joined forces with the likes of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday to present IMPACT 10X10X10, a one-year pilot scheme which aims to engage governments, businesses and universities and force them to address deficiencies in their gender equality and women's empowerment policies.

Addressing business leaders and politicians at the WEF, Watson said, "Businessmen: Have you mentored, supported or engaged women in leadership positions? Writers: have you challenged the language and imagery used to portray women in the media? CEOs: Have you implemented the women's empowerment principles in your own company? What change have you seen?

"IMPACT 10X10X10 is about concrete commitments to change, the visibility of these commitments and the measurability of them too... We are very excited to be launching 10X10X10 to bring HeForShe into its next phase. If you're a HeForShe... I'm here to ask you: what is the impact you can have?... We want to help. We want to know and we want to hear from you."

She concluded her speech by thanking those who have reached out to her to offer their support since the campaign's launch.