Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway lend voices to documentary campaigning for girls' education

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett are among the stars who have given their support to a documentary which tells the struggle of nine young girls fighting to receive an education.

The three actresses have joined forces with Frieda Pinto, Selena Gomez, Salma Hayek, Kerry Washington and Alicia Keys to lend their voices to the film, entitled Girl Rising.

The project, which is in partnership with global action campaign 10 x 10, was launched to coincide with International Women's Day on 8 March (13).

Streep says, "This film gives visual corroboration to knowledge we already have: educating women and girls has the most optimistic, postive effects on families, communities and economies worldwide. If to see it is to know it, this film delivers hope; reasonable, measurable, tangible hope that the world can be healed and helped to a better future."

The film, directed by Richard E. Robbins, will premiere in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles on Wednesday (06Mar13).