With violence against women making global headlines, Nicole Kidman’s work with U.N. Women is more urgent than ever.
“The U.N. is very solution-based. Which I find thrilling to work with because you can actually see things changing,” says Kidman.
She and U.N. Women work within the cultural and social mores of countries in order to build protections for women, whether through establishing economic empowerment, political solutions or opening access to the judicial system or health services.
Most of all, the U.N. Women programs let women who are victims of violence know that they have a future.
“Teaching a victim that their identity is not that thing that’s happened to them, that they have a future — that’s one of the big things I’ve seen on my travels,” says Kidman. She has been working with the U.N. since January 2006.
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Her passion for her work with U.N. Women is part of her DNA. She credits her upbringing by her socially conscious psychologist father and feminist nurse mother with instilling in her the belief that yes, she can make a difference.
Her work with U.N. Women includes advocating for prevention, protection (via legislation) and access to places where victims can get help.
U.N. Women also has worked to get women involved in the legislative process, from serving as elected officials to voter registration drives.
“Once you have women in roles in lawmaking roles, that makes a huge difference for women’s rights,” Kidman says.
U.N. Women
U.N. Women works for the equality and empowerment of women. Kidman is the spokeswoman for the U.N. Women’s Say NO-UNiTE to End Violence Against Women initiative (saynotoviolence.org).
