Sharon Corr.

Sharon Corr is the first person to use her voice to support Oxfam Ireland's new campaign Ending Poverty Starts With Women, which highlights that treating women as equals is key to tackling global poverty.

As the campaign ambassador, she is preparing to travel to Tanzania with Oxfam in July. There the singer-songwriter and judge on RTÉ's The Voice will meet inspiring women who are transforming their families and communities with Oxfam's support.

"I'm honoured to be the first person to add my voice to Oxfam Ireland's new campaign because when women are treated as equals, everyone benefits," said Sharon.

"It's a woman's natural instinct to nurture and provide sustenance for her children. But without access to or a right to land, the means to grow food, or a voice in their own society they struggle to do this. That means entire communities suffer.

"Ending Poverty Starts With Women calls on men and women to use the power of their voices to make a difference and this summer I'll be travelling to Tanzania with Oxfam to see first-hand how they are helping women effect real change and how we can support them."

Oxfam is calling on the Irish government to increase the proportion of existing overseas aid allocated to women's rights programmes in developing countries. Oxfam aims to get 10,000 people across Ireland to add their voice to Ending Poverty Starts With Women.

www.oxfamireland.org/women