Oscar-winning actor Anne Hathaway was named the global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women on Wednesday.
Hathaway has been a long-standing supporter of women’s and girls’ rights. She will help put the spotlight on the issue of the unequal burden of care work in the home as one of the key barriers to gender equality.
Affordable childcare and shared parental leaves are just some of the goals that the UN and Hathaway will work together on.
The UN has been working hard on fostering a more positive environment for women at the workplace to ensure gender equality.
The ‘motherhood penalty’... is a particularly insidious demonstration of gender inequality in the workplace.Mlambo-Ngucka
For a long time now, women’s pay and opportunities have been stifled after motherhood, which UN Women aim to correct. Parenting should be seen as a shared responsibility with the onus of raising a child falling on both parents, not just the mother.
I feel honoured and inspired by this opportunity to aid in advancing gender equality. Significant progress has already been made but it is time that we collectively intensify our efforts and ensure that true equality is finally realised.Anne Hathaway
(With agency inputs.)
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