WENN

Emma Watson has marked the Time's Up initiative's first year by expressing her optimism it will help bring about gender equality.

The Harry Potter star was one of 300 actresses, writers and directors who launched the project last January, in the wake of the sexual harassment scandals that rocked Hollywood.

Since then, more than $22 million has been raised for a legal defence fund for victims of sexual violence and harassment in the workplace.

Praising what Time's Up had achieved in its first 12 months, Emma wrote on Instagram: "I've been so inspired by the way people have reached out to each other, shared experiences and advice, and organised together as part of this movement for change. (world emoji) Gender equality can only become a reality if we harness the transformative power of solidarity across professions and across borders."

The star closed her message by adding: "There's still a long way to go, but the achievements so far make me optimistic for a fairer future. 2018 was just the beginning."

The 28-year-old actress has been a prominent supporter of the movement, and even showed off a temporary Time's Up tattoo at the Oscars in March.

She has also supported the fight for gender equality by donating $1.3 million to a U.K. version of the campaign, the Justice and Equality Fund, a contribution she marked in another Instagram post.

"One of the most memorable moments of TIME'S UP in the UK for me has been the launch of the Justice and Equality Fund (the UK's version of the Legal Defence Fund), which aims to support women who have experienced harassment and abuse, improve accountability, and prevent future abuses from occurring," she explained.