Nicole Kidman has been "brought to her knees" by tales of abuse from some women.

The actress is a UN Goodwill Ambassador who has done a lot of work with females. She is determined to do all she can to help victims of abuse.

"I've been to Haiti and Kosovo and to shelters all over the world. The things I've seen and the stories I've heard just bring me to my knees," she told the February edition of UK magazine InStyle. "We are working to pass new laws and to make it OK for women to step forward and speak about abuses, knowing they will have protection if they do so."

The star is keen to raise awareness of the work UN Women does in the world.

She's always been interested in women's issues, explaining she was raised to believe the world should be fair to both sexes.

"I grew up in a family of mostly women and I was raised by a feminist mother, who educated me at an early age about the atrocities committed against women," she explained. "This organisation focuses on eradicating that violence and it's a perfect fit for me, because I strongly believe that by helping women, we're helping families."