Emma Watson delivered a rousing speech on gender inequality at the UN headquarters, calling on men to join the HeForShe campaign and fight for feminism.

Emma Watson gave her first major speech as UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador this weekend.

Rousing both men and women in the fight against gender inequality with the launch of the HeForShe campaign.

Tackling the importance of feminism head on, the former Harry Potter actress questioned the gender stereotypes of both sexes.

Calling on men to stand up for themselves as well as for their mothers, daughters and sisters.

Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York, Emma said, ‘This is the first campaign of its kind at the UN

We want to try and galvanise as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for gender equality. 

And we don’t just want to talk about it, but make sure it is tangible.

‘I was appointed six months ago and the more I have spoken about feminism the more I have realised that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.’

In what many are already hailing as a critical speech, Emma described events from her own childhood which led to her identifying herself as a feminist, along with how those events affect men too.

‘Men – I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too.

‘I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less “macho” – in fact in the UK, suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20-49; eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease.

‘I’ve seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality, either.’