This Is The Major New Role That Anne Hathaway Will Be Taking On

Anne Hathaway will be working to spotlight the unequal balance of care in the home as part of her new role as UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador.

The Oscar-winning actress will be pushing for the adoption of new policies including affordable childcare and shared parental leave in a bid to help women and men better share their responsibilities.

"Stereotypes that make it hard for fathers to take time away from work to care for a child are outdated leftovers from the 'male breadwinner' model and have no place in today's mixed workforce. Well-implemented parental leave is just one way for employers to demonstrate that they understand the value of their staff — both male and female," said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director. "To make the case for how this will increase opportunities for women we needed an advocate who had the intellect and passion to tackle this complex issue. Within moments of meeting Anne I realised that we had found our woman. We are truly honoured to have her onboard."

"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," said Hathaway.

Hathaway has previously travelled to Kenya and Ethiopia to raise awareness of child marriage for the Nike Foundation and also narrated CNN's documentary film Girl Rising about the power of female education.

The Oscar winner's appointment follows in the footsteps of fellow actress Emma Watson, who became a UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador in 2014, launching her 'HeForShe' campaign promoting equality between the sexes.

From: Harper's BAZAAR US