Lady Gaga will launch her Born This Way foundation next month.

The singer is starting the charity - named after her 2011 album and the title of its lead single - to "promote youth empowerment and equality" and will kick it off with an event at Harvard University.

Gaga's mother, Cynthia Germanotta, will help her run the Born This Way charity, which says its aims are to "explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment."

Cynthia said: "My daughter's foundation was born out of her passion to create a better world where people are kinder and nicer to one another and are accepted for who they are, regardless of how different they may be.

"She has experienced many of the struggles that our youth encounter today, and identifies with the lasting effects they can have without proper support."

Gaga has campaigned against bullying, even meeting with US President Barack Obama about it, and she also created a lipstick for MAC cosmetics, with all proceeds going to the MAC Aids fund.

The Born This Way Foundation has already received 25 per cent of all profits made from Gaga's Workshop, a Santa's Workshop-style section of department store Barney's New York opened by the star over the festive season.