Emma Watson calls for more women in politics in Uruguay

18 Sep 2014 / 08:41 H.
    Emma Watson calls for more women in politics in Uruguay
    British Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson (L) speaks, next to an unidentified translator, during the presentation of the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign to Non Governmental Organizations at the Uruguay's Parliament in Montevideo on September 17, 2014. AFP
    Emma Watson calls for more women in politics in Uruguay
    British Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson (C) speaks next to Uruguay's Vice President Danilo Astori (L) and the Director of the UN Women Programme Division Gulden Turkoz-Cosslett (R) during the presentation of the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign to Non Governmental Organizations at the Uruguay's Parliament in Montevideo on September 17, 2014. AFP
    Emma Watson calls for more women in politics in Uruguay
    British Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson arrives to the presentation of the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign to Non Governmental Organizations at the Uruguay's Parliament in Montevideo on September 17, 2014. AFP
    Emma Watson calls for more women in politics in Uruguay
    British Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson attends the presentation of the UN Women’s HeForShe campaign to Non Governmental Organizations, at the Uruguay's Parliament in Montevideo on September 17, 2014. AFP

MONTEVIDEO: British actress Emma Watson drew hundreds of young fans Wednesday as she visited Uruguay's legislature to promote women's participation in politics in her new role as a UN goodwill ambassador.
Watson, who played Hermione in the Harry Potter films, was greeted by an ecstatic crowd as she arrived to deliver a petition with 5,500 signatures calling on the small South American country's General Assembly to pass a bill implementing quotas for women lawmakers.
About 100 fans, mostly young women, also made it inside the building even though organizers had tried to keep the visit under wraps.
"Seeing so many young people standing outside this parliament and in this room today gives me such a feeling of excitement and gratitude," said the 24-year-old starlet.
"I'm proud to be here on this day, when women's participation becomes a priority in this country."
Watson was named a goodwill ambassador for the UN women's agency in July.
The Uruguay visit is her first trip to Latin America in her new role.
Just 14% of Uruguay's legislators are women.
Under new rules adopted for elections next month, at least one-third of all parties' candidates must be women.
But critics say loopholes still allow parties to prioritize their male candidates for seats.
The petition, sponsored by women's rights organizations, calls for quotas requiring half of all candidates and public officials to be women. – AFP

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