Press Release: Are you #HeForShe?
On International Solidarity Day, UN Women’s HeForShe global movement calls men to stand up against sexual harassmentDate:
New York, NY (December 20, 2017) – In commemoration of the United Nations International Human Solidarity Day, UN Women’s HeForShe movement issues an urgent call for men around the world to stand together in solidarity with each other and with women, to end sexual harassment. While stories of power imbalance and sexual harassment dominate the headlines, most of men have abstained from the current conversation. HeForShe invites men to break the silence by recording a short video stating a personal commitment to end sexual harassment and sharing that video on social media as a public symbol of solidarity to the many brave individuals who have experienced sexual harassment. With each social media post, men invite three friends to do the same with a simple question; ‘Are you #HeForShe?’.
“Men must take personal ownership in calling out sexual harassment and the culture that enables it - responding with silent anger is not enough,” said UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. “Men everywhere need to take an active role, by listening to women’s experiences, speaking up when abuse occurs and holding other men – and themselves – accountable for their words and actions.”
A global solidarity movement for gender equality, HeForShe was launched in 2014 by British actor and UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson, whose impassioned rallying call mobilized more than 100,000 men in just three days, and at least one man in every country in the world within the first five, garnering more than 1.2 Billion conversations on social media.
“Now more than ever we need good men to speak-up, because all it takes for injustice to prevail is for good men to remain silent,” said Elizabeth Nyamayaro, Senior Advisor to Under-Secretary-General, UN Women and Global Head of the HeForShe movement. “The simple question: Are you #HeForShe? offers an entry point for men to show their solidarity -- because as long as the pursuit of gender equality remains a struggle between women and men, no one wins, “she added.
To learn more and participate in the ‘Are you #HeForShe?’ visit: www.HeForShe.org
Download social media here: http://bit.ly/2yROLz8
Join the conversation: Follow @HeForShe and share messages using the hashtags: Are you #HeForShe? #EndSexualHarassment
About UN Women HeForShe: Visit www.heforshe.org/
Media contact:
Charlotte.Hallqvist@unwomen.org
Tel: +44 7496 634141