Harry Potter star Emma Watson donated GBP1 million to the UK Justice and Equality Fund which has received more than 300 donations in two days - ranging from just a few pounds to two anonymous contributions of GBP400,000 and GBP100,000.

"We are delighted with the reaction that we've had ... it just goes to show that people are really looking for this change," Seyi Newell, a spokeswoman for Rosa, the women's rights group behind the campaign, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The fund was launched ahead of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, where the campaign for women's rights in the entertainment industry took centre stage.

In an open letter published on Sunday in British newspaper The Observer, more than 200 actresses, including Oscar winners Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, called for sexual harassment and abuse to be rooted out from the industry.

The fund, which will support organisations that help victims of harassment and abuse, received donations from numerous actors, including Keira Knightley and Tom Hiddleston - who gave GBP10,000 each.

"Many of these organisations are woefully underfunded and we want to help fund their vital work," added Kate Kinninmont, who heads the Women in Film & Television UK group.

Award-winning director Susanna White called for the establishment of an independent body to deal with reports of harassment and bullying in the entertainment sector.

The initiative comes after a slew of allegations of sexual misconduct against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein last year sparked the #MeToo campaign, with women and men using social media to share their experiences of harassment.

Australian Associated Press