Emma Watson attends first G7 meeting on gender equality

Emma Watson attended the first meeting for the G7 (Group of Seven) Gender Equality Advisory Council on Tuesday (19Feb19).

The 28-year-old actress became UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in 2014 and serves as an advocate for the organisation's HeForShe campaign.

Watson, who was joined by a group of activists who all met with French President Emmanuel Macron at Paris' Elysee Palace, admitted that she was "truly humbled" to be a part of the Gender Equality Advisory Council.

"The chance to make a real difference is not an opportunity that everyone is given and is one I have no intention of taking lightly," she admitted. "Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting I still have so much to learn."

The new G7 initiative aims to set out a legislative package and good practices in favour of women worldwide.

The Harry Potter star went on to discuss the pressures that she felt as a young woman in the spotlight.

"When at 14 I started being sexualised by certain elements of the press," she confessed. "When at 15 my girlfriends started dropping out of their sports teams because they didn’t want to appear ‘muscly’. When at 18 my male friends were unable to express their feelings.”

The activist outlined her intention to use her platform to "end gender inequality" and inspire change.

"I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me... We want to end gender inequality - and to do that we need everyone to be involved," she said.