Angelina Jolie has made an impassioned plea to world leaders to take action over the crisis in Syria, which has struck the country for more than four years. The Hollywood actress was speaking at the United Nations in New York City last week, in her role as a Special Envoy for the organisation's High Commissioner for Refugees.
"We are failing to save lives in Syria," said Angelina, addressing the UN Security Council.
The 39-year-old added: "We cannot look at Syria, and the evil that has arisen from the ashes of indecision, and think this is not the lowest point in the world's inability to protect and defend the innocent."
© Photo: RexAngelina Jolie visited the UN in her capacity as a Special Envoy for the High Commissioner for Refugees
Angelina, who has visited the war-torn country 11 times since the crisis began and has met several refugees in the process, went on to give details about the stories she had been told.
A doctor from Aleppo witnessed his wife and three-year-old daughter drown in the Mediterranean as they tried to flee the conflict – a recurring situation that Angelina called "sickening".
The actress also heard from an 11-year-old girl in a Lebanon camp, who is responsible for keeping her five orphaned siblings alive and fed.
© Photo: RexAngelina Jolie urged the UN's Security Council to "work as one and end the conflict"
Angelina went on to urge the UN's Security Council to come to a decision on how to address the Syrian crisis, and use their powers to "work as one and end the conflict". She also encouraged council members to visit the country and refugee camps for themselves.
Brad Pitt's wife first started working with the UN as a Goodwill Ambassador, and after ten years of service she was promoted to the role of a Special Envoy. Her humanitarian work has seen Angelina complete 50 field missions in more than 30 countries, including visits to Sierra Leone, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Earlier this year Angelina – who recently revealed that she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure – visited a refugee camp in northern Iraq. The mum-of-six called on the international community to "step up and do more" and to "defend their values" not only at home but also abroad.
