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Anne Hathaway delivers a powerful UN Women speech on International Women's Day, reflecting on gender violence, justice, and the celebration of women's courage and progress.
Present perfect for relevance to now — "Our fighters have been the cornerstone of accountability as political landscapes have changed." The speaker uses the present perfect to link past actions with their ongoing importance today.
Conditional for obligation and reflection — "Are we not tormented that societal progress for women has in large part been in response to extreme gender violence?" The inverted question form (negative rhetorical question) creates emphasis and draws the audience into shared reflection.
Parallel structure for rhythm and persuasion — "We celebrate their defiance and we in turn are defiant in celebration" and "We come together in tribute to the hope and work and the grit." Repetition of sentence openings amplifies emotional impact and makes ideas memorable.
Anne Hathaway's speech for UN Women on International Women's Day confronts a difficult paradox: celebrating women's progress while acknowledging the persistent reality of gender violence and inequality. The speech opens with acknowledgment of this tension—"It's hard to bear the knowledge that the distance between the promise of equality and the experience of it are yet still so far apart"—and pivots to a compelling argument for why we should celebrate anyway. She honours specific women like Giselle Pellico and Malala Yousafzai who demanded justice despite violence, showing how individual courage transforms societies.
This is excellent shadowing material for B1 learners. Hathaway speaks at a measured, deliberate pace with clear articulation, pausing meaningfully between ideas. Her word choice balances formal vocabulary ("autonomy," "empower," "momentum") with conversational phrases ("it's just my opinion"), making it accessible without being simplistic. The speech contains natural intonation patterns, with emotional emphasis that models how to convey conviction and meaning in English.
The material suits learners ready to engage with sophisticated ideas while building confidence with public speaking rhythms. You'll encounter formal register, persuasive structures, and emotionally intelligent language. Shadowing this speech builds not just pronunciation and fluency but also the ability to speak about complex social themes with nuance and clarity—valuable skills beyond the classroom.
bridge the gap — to reduce or overcome a difference between two things; "It's very confusing to try and bridge what's actually going on out there versus what we hope to achieve in here."
keep the momentum moving — to sustain progress or energy toward a goal; "They have kept the momentum of progress moving forward to all corners of the world."
lay the path — to create the foundation or conditions for something to happen; "Their work has laid the path for gender equality which we proudly walk today."
blunt the danger — to weaken or reduce the force of something harmful; "in doing so, blunts the danger of silence and self-censorship."
outlast — to endure longer than something else; "Our celebration today affirms our determination to outlast it [injustice]."
don't make us wait — a direct appeal for urgent action; used as the speech's title and closing call, expressing impatience with delayed justice.
