UNHCR Marks 20 Years Since Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Joined Their Team

UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency is marking a milestone with Special Envoy Angelina Jolie. 

The Hollywood star, filmmaker and mum has been a part of the team for 20 years, advocating for millions of refugees around the world  - first as a Goodwill Ambassador between 2001 and 2012, then expanding her role to Special Envoy.

During her two decades with UNHCR, Angelina has represented the humanitarian organisation at the diplomatic level focusing on major crises which have lead to mass population displacements, from conflict in Syria and Yemen to floods in Pakistan and the global coronavirus pandemic.

In a post sharing their gratitude for her influential work and support, the UNHCR describes Angelina as "a tireless witness and advocate for the world's forcibly displaced people."

Sharing a gallery from her various missions, they add that over the last two decades, "the Special Envoy has undertaken more than 60 field visits around the world to meet people whose lives have been uprooted by conflict and persecution, advocating on their behalf for increased assistance and protection. We are deeply grateful for her service to protect those forced to flee their homes."

In 2017, Angelina addressed the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva after renewing her contract with the organisation telling them: "I am with you, not just for my contract, I am with you for life. You can't walk away once you've joined UNHCR."

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Most recently, she joined social media to help amplify the voices of the women of Afghanistan who are once again living under Taliban rule and urge her followers to continue learning about the situation and take up the fight for basic human rights.