Angelina Jolie was joined at the Global Summit to End Violence in Conflict on Thursday by her partner Brad Pitt and human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.
Brad's support came a day after Angelina was moved to tears as she met rape survivors at the summit being held in London.
The largest ever to be held on the subject of sexual violence in war, human rights lawyer Amal who is engaged to George Clooney, a close friend of Angelina and Brad, was also in attendance
© Photo: Getty ImagesIt has been two years since the Foreign Secretary and Angelina launched their campaign, a Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, which has since been endorsed by 141 countries. The aim now is to take more concrete steps, including providing more help for survivors.
The Hollywood actress and Special Envoy of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, who was hosting the summit with British politician William Hague, welled up as she listened to stories from women who had suffered sexual assault during war time.
She struggled to contain her emotions and at one point she held on tight to fellow campaigner and peacemaker Neema Namadamu.
© Photo: Getty ImagesSpeaking at the summit, Angelina said she was dedicating the conference to a rape victim she recently met while in Bosnia with William Hague. "She felt that having had no justice for her particular crime, in her particular situation, and having seen the actual man who raped her on the streets free, she really felt abandoned by the world," Angelina revealed, before adding: "This day is for her." On the BBC Radio4's Women's Hour, she also revealed how and why she became involved in the struggle to end sexual violence. "I’ve met survivors and spent time with them. I’d heard their stories and became very emotionally involved and I thought – what can I possibly do to help," she said.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAnother speaker at the summit was rape survivor Wangu Kanja, from Kenya, who has set up her own organization to help others. She said that she hoped the summit will send a message that governments cannot continue to ignore the issue, saying:
"I'm really hoping that from this the Kenyan government will be forced to do something."
There were many talks and debates held across the summit, and Angelina also took the time to look at products sold by the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence which supports the victims of violence. Events included an exclusive screening of Angelina's directorial debut The Land of Blood and Honey, with the opportunity to hear Angelina and Mr Hague discuss how the film inspired the initiative that led to the summit.
