International Women's Day: Amber Heard says there's 'more to be done' in bid for gender equality

'The struggle for equality is a long one'

Actor Amber Heard has delivered an empowering speech about gender equality to mark International Women’s Day.

The Aquaman star has been an outspoken activist throughout her career, particularly when it comes to gender issues and violence against women.

In a keynote speech at the Marie Claire’s Human Rights Women’s Day event organised in partnership with Salesforce in London on Thursday, Heard praised the progress that has been made in recent years in fighting for gender parity before explaining there is still a long way to go to eradicate discrimination and injustice.

“Discrimination limits opportunities and choice in a world of immense potential and talent,” Heard said.

“The struggle for equality is a long one and one must acknowledge and enjoy the success, especially recently.”

Heard continued by saying recent social media movements have done “so much to energise a new willingness to believe women’s stories”, adding that she has already seen changes in the acting roles that are offered to her and the tone of conversations people are having behind the camera.

“It fills my heart with hope,” Heard said.

“The truth is there is so much more to be done. Inequality is deeply unjust and yet common, normalised, tolerated and visible.

“At its heart lies a subtle system of deeply seated beliefs that in one way or another are held and upheld by many.”

The 32-year-old also addressed the continuing issue of limited access to contraception and abortion around the world, saying women endure “unnecessary, painful and humiliating steps in literally every aspect of their healthcare”.

“This obsession with controlling women’s bodies manifests in the fierce opposition to sexual and reproductive education and services, particularly for adolescents,” Heard said.

“One in four adolescent girls need contraception and can’t get it, which leads to millions of unwanted pregnancies. The prudish denial of women and girls’ sexuality in service of a false notion of innocence prevents healthy discussions about sex, consent, pleasure, respect.”

According to the World Health Organisation, 214m women of reproductive age in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method, while 22m unsafe abortions take place each year, the vast majority of which occur in developing countries.

Heard, who filed for divorce from actor Johnny Depp in 2016 amid allegations of domestic violence, spoke about abuse saying that the burden of personal safety is often placed on the shoulders of women. Depp denied the abuse allegations made by Heard.

“The idea that men’s libidos are too hard to control absolves them of their own personal responsibility and makes women and women alone accountable for navigating their own safety,” she said.

“Their claims of violence are easily dismissed if their behaviour seems reckless or out of the acceptable standards.

“Women face questions like ‘why were you on a tinder date, why did you wear that short a skirt? A woman’s sexual history still continues to affect her credibility in a rape case.”

In a joint statement confirming they would resolve their divorce proceedings privately, the actors said: “Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain.

“There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.”

The actor concluded her empowering speech with a rallying call to the women who gathered at the event, asking them to “demand and fight for equality”.

“By institutionalising change, our commitment to ending violence and discrimination against women will not be tied to fleeting cycles of outrage or viral media movements but instead be permanently enshrined in some of our most important global institutions,” Heard concluded.

“We have inherited far too much to accept injustice and together we are far too strong to excuse it any longer.”

Read more about International Women’s Day here.