UNITED NATIONS, Nov 14 — Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar (pic) has been named the first male goodwill ambassador for UN Women, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We are pleased to have Akhtar as our goodwill ambassador for South Asia for we believe his work and values represent the core values of UN Women,” UN Women executive director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka announced in Mumbai, India on Thursday.
Akhtar will devote efforts to promoting the empowerment of women and girls across South Asia. He will serve as advocate for the UN Women’s newly launched HeForShe campaign — an initiative placing men at the centre of activism and dialogue to end inequalities faced by women and girls around the world.
Akhtar started his own Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD) campaign to sensitise men and create awareness about women’s safety. “I will call on all boys and men to be a catalyst for change and help create
a value system to end gender disparity,” he said.
“My new role as goodwill ambassador gives me and our MARD campaign an added impetus to work together towards a more gender equal India and world,” he added.
–BERNAMA
