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U.S. Embassy London ‏@USAinUK

"Angelina Jolie has found a way not only to bear witness to suffering but to do something about it" Amb Susman http://dld.bz/b2kfA

UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict

All photos below are HQ, click image to see full size

United States Ambassador Louis B. Susman speaking at the launch of the UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, 29 May 2012.

Foreign Secretary William Hague with the Director of “In the Land of Blood and Honey” and Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner on Refugees, Ms Angelina Jolie meeting with Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond, Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne, Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone and Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan in London, 29 May 2012.

HQ Celebrity

Angelina Jolie joins forces with the Coalition Government

Lynne Featherstone

William Hague announced a new initiative last night  -  a UK task force of experts is to be created to go into conflict zones to get the evidence to enable prosecutions against those who perpetrate sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war.
As Minister for tackling Violence against women and girls overseas I am proud of this commitment by us as a government to tackle this most horrendous of crimes. It is hugely important in substance, because experts will now

collect evidence in conflict zones to enable prosecutions to be successfully brought to end the dreadful impunity that has protected war criminals from facing the consequences of their actions.
The Government will also use the UK presidency of the G8 next year to promote practical ways of tackling sexual violence in war zones.
Sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war are of such a scale as to be virtually unbelievable. United Nations statistics show that worldwide one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
Angelina Jolie’s film ‘In the land of blood and honey’ tells the story of the indiscriminate rape of Croats and Muslims during the Bosnia War in the most powerful way.  The film was screened at the Foreign Office with an invited audience of those who work in this field – and Angelina herself was there to introduce and talk about her work.
I was able to meet Ms Jolie together with the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary, Alan Duncan and Jeremy Browne for a discussion on our new initiative and her work in tackling sexual violence.
She is an extremely intelligent and articulate woman – and has thankfully shone a brilliant light into a very very dark corner. I hope many many people go and see her hugely powerful film.

Foreign Office (FCO) ‏@foreignoffice

Angelina Jolie has arrived for the launch of the UK initiative on tackling sexual violence in conflict. Follow highlights of the launch here

1:14 PM - 29 May 12


Melanie Ward ‏@melanie_ward

Turns out Angelina Jolie was at @foreignoffice too! http://yfrog.com/h6b2clhj

Foreign Secretary launches new Government initiative to prevent sexual violence in conflict

29 May 2012

Foreign Secretary William Hague will speak at the launch of the Government initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, and the screening of the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey".

Speaker:	Foreign Secretary William Hague
Event:	Launch of HMG initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict
Location:	Foreign & Commonwealth Office

He will say:

"Ambassadors, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen; good evening and welcome to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
“We are here to launch of the British Government’s new initiative on preventing sexual violence in armed conflict, in the presence of our very special guests this evening. When we think of armed conflict, we think of battlefields, soldiers in arms and tanks. But wars tragically are also about civilians, particularly women and children, caught on the margins of the battlefield yet at the centre of warfare.
“Rape and other forms of sexual violence have been used as weapons against women in conflicts the world over.
This was brought home to me most starkly when I met women in refugee camps in Darfur who had been viciously assaulted when collecting firewood to cook for their children, and the survivors of Srebrenica – the worst atrocity on European soil since the end of the Second World War.
“All these women told me of the unspeakable violence perpetrated against them. They talked to me of their rights unfulfilled and violated; their desire for justice for themselves, for their children and families, and above all their desire for peace. I was shocked for example when I learnt that only around 30 people have been convicted so far for the up to 50,000 rapes committed during the war in Bosnia in the 1990s.
“And there are chilling reports of rape in Syria today along with the murder, torture and repression of thousands of innocent civilians. As Foreign Secretary, I am appalled by the scale of sexual violence against women, men and children in situations of conflict and repression – ranging from opportunistic acts of brutality to deliberate torture and systematic campaigns of ethnic cleansing.
“It is my firm conviction that tackling sexual violence is central to conflict prevention and peace-building worldwide. It must be as prominent in foreign policy as it is in development policy, for the two cannot be separated. And it also cannot be separated from wider issues of women’s rights.
“We will not succeed in building sustainable peace in conflict areas unless we give the issue of sexual violence the centrality it deserves; alongside the economic and political empowerment of women and their vital role in peace-building.
“For where there is no justice and accountability, the seeds of future violence are sown and human development is held back. I pay tribute to the huge amount of dedicated work by the UN and its agencies and by NGOs over the last decade: providing care and sexual health support on the ground, raising global awareness, pursuing ground-breaking legal cases and working with member states to frame vital UN Security Council Resolutions on women, peace and security, including Resolutions 1325 and 1820.
“I know that many of our guests tonight have devoted years of their careers to these issues. Thanks to you and your colleagues around the world, we build on strong foundations. But we need to do still more together.
“We are honoured that Ms Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has joined us this evening, for discussions with my Ministerial colleagues and to speak at this event. For more than ten years she has worked to highlight the plight of refugees worldwide in Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and many other countries; to support numerous charitable causes, and to promote education, justice and the rights of women worldwide.
“Ms Jolie, we are very grateful to you for coming and for allowing us to screen your film ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’.   I also thank Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic and Vanesa Glodjo for their courageous participation in this remarkable film, and for travelling to be here tonight.  In the film you bring to life the devastating consequences of international inaction in the face of conflict, the appalling human rights abuses that stem from it; and the impact on the lives of women.
“It is a rallying-call that none of us can ignore. Today, I want publicly to renew the British Government’s commitment to tackling sexual violence in armed conflict. We want to work to find practical ways to ensure that survivors feel confident to speak out, and are able to regain the dignity and rights that are due to them.
“We want to see a significant increase in the number of successful prosecutions for these crimes, so that we erode and eventually demolish the culture of impunity and establish a new culture of deterrence in its place. We want to use Britain’s influence and diplomatic network to rally sustained international action and to push this issue up the global agenda.
“So to that end, we will set up a new UK team of experts devoted to combating and preventing sexual violence in armed conflict. This team will be able to be deployed overseas at short notice to gather evidence and testimony that can be used to support investigations and prosecutions.
“It will draw on the skills of doctors, lawyers, police, psychologists, forensic specialists and experts in the care and protection of victims and witnesses. It will significantly strengthen the specialist capabilities that we are able to bring to bear on these issues as the United Kingdom.
“The team will be available to support UN and other international missions, and to provide training and mentoring to national authorities to help them develop the right laws and capabilities. It will also be able to work on the frontline with grassroots organisations, local peace builders and human rights.
“I can also announce that we will use Britain’s Presidency of the G8, starting on January 1st 2013, to run a year-long diplomatic campaign on preventing sexual violence in armed conflict.  We will use the crucial seven months before our Presidency to build real momentum around this initiative.
“Within that time, we will have brought the new UK Team fully into operation. And we will have worked with the UN and our NGO partners to develop specific detailed initiatives for our G8 Presidency and beyond.  And we are delighted by the positive response this initiative has received from our friends and NGO partners so far.
“Confronted by the greatest ills of our world it is all too easy to be overwhelmed and to turn away. But none of the strides we have made in human rights would ever have been possible without high ambition and resolute determination – from the abolition of the slave trade to the global arms trade treaty we hope to see concluded this summer. And I am confident that working with you all we can bring new energy and leadership to tackling this vital issue, and to advancing justice and human rights worldwide.”

Remarks at the British-American Business Council Transatlantic Gala Dinner

Ambassador Susman's Remarks at the FCO Screening of Angelia Jolie Film “In the Land of Blood and Honey”

29 May 2012

Ambassador Susman:  Thank you.  I would like to begin by reading the letter (PDF, 1 page) that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sent for this  occasion.

As the American Ambassador, I would also like to express our admiration for the work of American film director, Angelina Jolie.  She has  distinguished herself as a talented actress in countless films, and as a tireless supporter of humanitarian causes.

Whether founding an organization to provide free legal aid to children seeking asylum, or serving as a goodwill ambassador for the United  Nations High Commission on Refugees, Angelina Jolie has found a way – not only to bear witness to suffering – but to do something about it.

Her debut behind the camera as the director of tonight’s film has already won her a Stanley Kramer award for work that draws attention to  injustice and social issues.

I join Secretary of State Clinton in praising Foreign Secretary William Hague and this UK initiative.  And I thank Angelina Jolie for  lending her clear voice and her compelling vision to the effort. 



 Citadel Monkey ‏@citadelmonkeyuk

Just saw Angelina Jolie at an event. She is stunning !!! #AngelinaJolie


  James Kehoe ‏@MrJamesKehoe

Just got text from housemate “will be late as have function with Angelina Jolie and Queen Noor of Jordan” what a marvellous job he has


  Laura Padoan ‏@Laura_Padoan

I'm at the Foreign Office with ANGELINA JOLIE for private screening of her film In the Land of Blood&Honey. My career is downhill from here.

 Corin Robertson ‏@CorinRobertson

Angelina Jolie and @WilliamHague: a powerful combination! UK and UN join forces fighting sexual violence in conflict http://flic.kr/s/aHsjzH2EKL

Angelina Jolie In L’Agence – ‘In The Land of Blood and Honey’ London Screening

Angelina Jolie was London for the screening of her newest movie, ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ yesterday afternoon.
The actress joined forces with Foreign Secretary William Hague at the Foreign Commonwealth Office to launch a dedicated British team to combat and prevent sexual violence overseas ahead of the film’s screening.
For the occasion the actress wore a navy L’Agence long sleeve wrap dress.
The belted dress was simply styled with a matching navy pumps and small gold hooped earrings.
Even with minimal makeup she is still devastatingly beautiful.


 

Foreign Office visit announcement

British Embassy ‏@UKinUSA

Angelina Jolie is at the @foreignoffice today for an advance screening of her film “In the Land of Blood & Honey” ow.ly/bdRNI

Alex Schillemore ‏@AlexSchillemore

Angelina Jolie here @foreignoffice today to help launch UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest…

Foreign Office (FCO) ‏@foreignoffice
 Ms Angelina Jolie will be at the @foreignoffice today for advance screening of her film “In the Land of Blood & Honey” ow.ly/bcZzx

Angelina Jolie backs UK fight against rape in war zones

The actor will attend a Foreign Office screening of her Bosnia war film as part of her support for a team of experts who will gather evidence about sexual violence in conflict areas

• Ben Child
• guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 29 May 2012 07.36 EDT

Special envoy … Angelina Jolie will attend a screening at the Foreign Office of her film In the Land of Blood and Honey. Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP

Angelina Jolie's debut as a director, the gruelling drama In the Land of Blood and Honey set during the war in Bosnia, is to be screened at the British Foreign Office as the Oscar-winning actor gives her support to a new government initiative aimed at tackling rape in war zones.

Jolie, a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, will attend the event and give a speech prior to the screening. In the Land of Blood and Honey was the source of controversy during its production process after it was criticised by Bosnian victims of sexual violence during the Balkan conflict, their anger having centred on erroneous reports that the film saw a Bosnian rape victim fall in love with her Serbian attacker. Since then, the film has drawn praise from critics and rape victims alike. Earlier this year it won a special Producers Guild prize – the Stanley Kramer award – for illuminating provocative social issues.

Jolie is backing the assembly of a UK team of lawyers, human rights campaigners, psychologists, forensic experts and doctors, who will gather evidence about sexual violence in war zones in support of UN teams and local charities. The initiative is expected to be in place by the end of the year.
The foreign secretary, William Hague, who will host the launch event, said: "Sexual violence is a problem found in every society in the world, and all countries have to do more to tackle it at home. We have to ensure equal rights for women at every level of society, and to protect the vulnerable, most of all our children.

"But it is in the context of war and conflict that sexual violence is found to the most appalling degree, and on a scale most of us cannot imagine. Sexual violence is an issue which is central to conflict prevention and to peace-building worldwide. Where there is no justice, the seeds of future conflict are sewn, and development is held back."

The UN estimates that only 30 convictions have been made from an estimated 50,000 rapes committed during the 1990s Balkans conflict, during which sexual attacks were often used as a weapon of war and a tool of ethnic cleansing. Atrocities have also been particularly widespread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and the Darfur region of Sudan.

In the Land of Blood and Honey, which Jolie screened in both English and Serbo-Croatian versions, portrays a romance between Danijel (Goran Kostić), a Serb man, and Ajla (Zana Marjanović), a Bosniak woman, which blossoms as the last nails are being hammered into Yugoslavia's coffin. Torn apart by the war, they meet unexpectedly when Ajla is taken prisoner in a war camp and Danijel is her jailer. The Guardian's Andrew Pulver called it "sombre, powerful, and undeniably gripping" after the drama screened at the Berlin film festival in February.

29 May 2012 Last updated at 07:15 ET

BBC Angelina Jolie backs UK anti-rape scheme in war zones

 

Angelina Jolie is a special envoy for the United Nations

An initiative aimed at tackling sexual violence in war zones across the world is to be launched by the UK government.

It is hoped the scheme, which is backed by actress Angelina Jolie, will mean more perpetrators of sexual violence can be pursued in international courts.
UK experts will be trained to deploy at short notice to gather evidence in conflict-hit areas, under the scheme.
Rape is often used as a tactic of war against men, women and children in conflicts across the globe.
The team of experts will be selected from professions including the police, psychologists, doctors, lawyers, and forensic experts.
Apart from gathering evidence, they will mentor international organisations fighting sexual violence, and help to draft effective legislation.
'Horrifying reports' An audience of public figures and human rights campaigners will gather for the launch of the scheme, at the Foreign Office in London.
Actress Angelina Jolie, a special envoy for the United Nations, is to speak at the launch, before a screening of her new film, In the Land Of Blood and Honey - a love story set in the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
BBC world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge said that while sexual violence was frequently used as a weapon of war, conviction rates were still too low.
Countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo will be the project's biggest concern, he said.
Our correspondent says Foreign Secretary William Hague will also use the launch of the initiative to speak about "horrifying reports now starting to emerge" of rape in Syria.
In the run-up to the scheme's launch, Mr Hague said: "Sexual violence is a problem found in every society in the world, and all countries have to do more to tackle it at home.
"But it is in the context of war and conflict that sexual violence is found to the most appalling degree, and on a scale most of us cannot imagine."
In November, Margot Wallstrom, special representative of the United Nations secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, revealed that although up to 50,000 women had been raped during the Balkans conflict, there had been only 30 convictions.
Around 200,000 women of all ages were raped during the war in Congo, which ended in 2003.
In 2010 alone, 8,000 women and girls were raped due to continuing violence in the country.
The British government said it would use the UK presidency of the G8 in 2013 to promote a global approach to tackling sexual violence in war-torn countries and bringing perpetrators to the courts.

Foreign Secretary announces UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict

29 May 2012

Foreign Secretary William Hague will announce a UK initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict later today.

The initiative forms part of the UK’s forthcoming Presidency of the G8 in 2013.

It will include the establishment of a dedicated UK team devoted to combating and preventing sexual violence in conflict. This team will be able to be deployed overseas at short notice to gather evidence and testimony that can be used to support investigations and prosecutions.
The initiative will be launched to an invited audience of political and civil society figures at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, followed by an advance screening of “In the Land of Blood and Honey.”
The film’s Director and Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner on Refugees, Ms Angelina Jolie, will be present, along with members of the cast.
The Foreign Secretary will say:
“Sexual violence is a problem found in every society in the world, and all countries have to do more to tackle it at home.  We have to ensure equal rights for women at every level of society, and to protect the vulnerable, most of all our children.  But it is in the context of war and conflict that sexual violence is found to the most appalling degree, and on a scale most of us cannot imagine.
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina between 20,000 and 50,000 women were raped between 1992 and 1995.  In Sierra Leone, the figure was between 50,000 and 64,000. During the genocide in Rwanda, the UN estimates that at least 250,000 women were raped. In Liberia, 49% of women between the ages of 15 and 70 reported experiencing at least one act of physical or sexual violence by a soldier or fighter.  And there are horrifying reports now starting to emerge of rape in Syria.
“Sexual violence is an issue which is central to conflict prevention and to peace building worldwide.  Where there is no justice, the seeds of future conflict are sown, and development is held back.  This was brought home to me personally when I met women in refugee camps in Darfur and survivors of Srebrenica.
“As a community of nations we will not succeed in preventing conflict and building sustainable peace unless we give this issue the centrality it deserves; alongside the empowerment and participation of women at every level in all societies.
“Despite the valiant efforts of many individuals and organisations, the perpetrators of the worst sexual crimes generally go unpunished. So today, I want to publicly renew the British Government’s commitment to the fight against sexual violence.  We want to use Britain’s influence and diplomatic capability to rally effective international action.
“We want to help find practical ways to ensure that survivors feel confident to speak out, and regain the dignity, rights, and restitution that is their due. And we want to see a significant increase in the number of successful prosecutions so that we erode and eventually demolish the culture of impunity.
“To that end, we will set up a new team of experts devoted to combating and preventing sexual violence in conflict. This team will be able to be deployed overseas at short notice to gather evidence and testimony that can be used to support investigations and prosecutions.  It will be available to be drawn on to support UN missions, and to provide training and mentoring to national authorities to help them develop the right laws and capabilities. It will draw on the skills of doctors, lawyers, police, psychologists, forensic experts and experts in the care and protection of victims and witnesses.
“On top of this, we will use Britain’s Presidency of the G8, starting on January 1st 2013, to run a year-long diplomatic campaign on the need for stronger international action to deter and prevent sexual violence in conflict.
“We will use these crucial seven months before our Presidency to build real momentum around this initiative. Within that time, we will bring the new team fully into operation; and we will consult other countries and work with the UN and our NGO partners on specific detailed initiatives for the UK’s G8 Presidency and beyond.
“We are deeply honoured that Ms Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has joined us tonight at this launch. Ms Jolie, we are very grateful to you for coming and for graciously allowing us to screen your film ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’.  For more than ten years you have worked to highlight the plight of refugees worldwide in Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and many other countries; to support numerous charitable causes, and to promote education, justice and the rights of women worldwide. And in this film you bring to life the devastating human consequences of international inaction in the face of conflict, the appalling human rights abuses that stem from it, and the impact on women. It is a rallying call that none of us can ignore.”


 

Telegraph.co.uk

Angelina Jolie to join William Hague in campaign against sexual violence

Angelina Jolie is to give her support today to the launch of a new Government initiative aimed at tackling sexual violence in war zones across the world.

Angelina Jolie will speak before an advance screening hosted by Foreign Secretary William Hague of her film In The Land Of Blood And Honey Photo: AP

4:48PM BST 28 May 2012

The actor will speak before an advance screening hosted by Foreign Secretary William Hague of her film In The Land Of Blood And Honey, a love story set against the backdrop of the Bosnia war.

The film shows the brutality of the war and is said to depict summary executions and the systematic rape of Muslim and Croat women.

The event at the Foreign Office in London, for a specially-invited audience of senior public figures, lawyers and human rights campaigners, marks a new Government initiative aimed at helping secure more prosecutions against perpetrators of sexual violence in conflict zones across the world.

A UK team of experts will be created by the end of this year drawn from professions such as the police, lawyers, psychologists, doctors and forensic experts aimed at helping international efforts to gather evidence on sexual violence in conflict zones.

Members would also be able to help in mentoring and training organisations tackling sexual violence and provide expertise in drafting legislation aimed at strengthening sanctions against perpetrators.

The Government said it planned to use the UK presidency of the G8 next year to promote practical ways of tackling sexual violence in war zones.
Rape has been used as a weapon of war against women, men and children in conflicts across the world, including Congo, Rwanda and former Yugoslavia.
A Tearfund report Silent No More published last year outlined United Nations statistics showing that worldwide one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
During the war in Congo, aroun 200,000 women and girls were raped but in spite of the war ending in 2003, in 2010 alone 8,000 women and girls were raped amid continuing conflict in the country.
During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, between 250,000 and 500,000 people were sexually assaulted and in Liberia sexual violence was ''recognised weapon of war'', the report said.
In spite of widespread sexual violence in war zones, conviction rates remain ''far too low'' according to the Foreign Office.
Margot Wallstrom, special representative of the United Nations secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, said in November that there have been only 30 convictions in spite of an estimated 50,000 rapes committed during the Balkans conflict.
Jolie, a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, said earlier this month that she was ''grateful and proud'' to be officially named an honorary citizen of Sarajevo as a result of her film, her directorial debut.
Mr Hague said: ''Sexual violence is a problem found in every society in the world, and all countries have to do more to tackle it at home.
''We have to ensure equal rights for women at every level of society, and to protect the vulnerable, most of all our children.
''But it is in the context of war and conflict that sexual violence is found to the most appalling degree, and on a scale most of us cannot imagine.''
He added: ''Sexual violence is an issue which is central to conflict prevention and to peace building worldwide.
''Where there is no justice, the seeds of future conflict are sown, and development is held back.''

Ecuador Mission

Angelina Jolie during a meeting with Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino at Foreing Ministry Headquarters in Quito, Ecuador on April 22, 2012. Credit: Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry/DPA/ABACAPRESS.COM

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visits Ecuador Angelina Jolie: On Behalf of All of Ecuador, Thank You!

Carolina Loza Leon

Angelina Jolie’s humanitarian work is no surprise to many. What is a surprise is the media coverage her recent visit as a UN envoy received and the positive impact it has had.
For a change, Brangelina's visit to the Galapagos Islands was not the focus of media attention, but rather, Jolie's visit to the Ecuador-Colombian border grabbed headlines.
After touring the Galapagos with her family, Angelina stayed on the mainland for her third visit with UNHCR to the Northern Ecuador area. And, her visit had an immediate impact on the country's refugees.
For background, most refugees living in Ecuador, who have fled conflict from Columbia, live in extreme poverty in urban areas. Ecuador has made some strides in recent years to create more favorable conditions, but there is still a long road ahead.
Yet, immediately upon Jolie's visit to the country, the Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs office began working a mile minute, and put a priority on refugee issue in Ecuador.
Having a figure like Jolie at the forefront of the effort to improve the situation of Ecuadorian refugees has brought a powerful, media-friendly ally to fight an acute issue that both the international community and Ecuadorian Society tend to ignore. Only those working in the human rights field know what over 54,500 officially recognized refugees (there may be many more) go through on a daily basis in Ecuador.
According to UNHCR, Ecuador has the largest refugee population in Latin America.
Jolie's constant presence holds the country's agencies more accountable and puts pressure on local authorities to prioritize this issue.
This represents her first trip as a Special envoy for the refugee agency, thus formally taking part in a more diplomatic role, engaging in advocacy, and dealing with key actors. Jolie knows very well what she’s doing and the impact she can have, in media and political affairs.
Jolie’s first two visits to Ecuador were low key,  reported at most by one or two local magazines. Let’s just hope Jolie’s visit to the country become routine.
An issue which has been highly neglected by media when it should be a priority has found in Jolie, its strongest partner.

Ricardo Patiño Aroca ‏ @RicardoPatinoEC

Angelina Jolie llegando a la Cancilleria http://yfrog.com/kg1srigmj

 Jolie greeted upon arrival at the Foreign Ministry by Minister Ricardo Patino, right.

Ricardo Patiño Aroca ‏ @RicardoPatinoEC

La señora Angelina Jolie es una persona con una impresionante sensibilidad por la gente que vive situaciones de refugio

Angelina Jolie da seguimiento riguroso a las condiciones en que viven familias refugiadas en muchos países y aboga por su mejoramiento

 Angelina Jolie podría dedicar su tiempo a disfrutar de su riqueza y su fama, pero usa esa fama para estos fines humanitarios. Mis respetos

Enviaré fotos de esta honrosa visita en las próximas horas.

Ricardo Patiño Aroca
@RicardoPatinoEC

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio e Integración del Ecuador Quito, Ecuador http://www.mmrree.gob.ec/ 

Ya en el despacho ministerial, Javier Creach, Angelina Jolie, Ricardo Patiño y Joseph Merkx http://yfrog.com/oczmrlqj

Angelina meets with the Foreign Minister of Ecuador Ricardo Patiño, right (Foto: AFP)


Cancilleria ‏ @cancilleriaEC

Canciller @RicardoPatinoEC y Angelina Jolie promueven campaña a favor de los refugiados en Ecuador http://pic.twitter.com/LwBwaOSh

 

Angelina Jolie visits Ecuador on first mission as UNHCR Special Envoy

News Stories, 23 April 2012

© UNHCR/J.Tanner

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie meets Colombian refugees in a riverside community that she visited in northern Ecuador's Sucumbios province.

LAGO AGRIO, Ecuador, April 23 (UNHCR) – Angelina Jolie, making her third trip to meet Colombian refugees in Ecuador, has called on the government to keep an open asylum policy and maintain its tradition of helping vulnerable people in need.
She said that "as the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Cartagena Declaration nears, it is time to celebrate the resilience of the displaced people in the region and renew our commitment to laws and policies that offer them protection, safety and a chance for a dignified life." The Cartagena Declaration broadened the refugee definition used in Latin America and offered a new approach to refugee protection and solutions in the region.
Jolie's call came at the weekend during her first field visit as Special Envoy of High Commissioner António Guterres. She was in Ecuador to assess the situation in urban and rural areas for refugees from Colombia, where almost 50 years of conflict have also left some 4 million people internally displaced.
Ecuador hosts 56,000 refugees and 21,000 asylum-seekers and receives 1,300 new applications for protection each month from people fleeing neighbouring Colombia's continuing violence. Many live in the remote and poor northern areas of the country close to the border.
Jolie's two-day visit began on Saturday in Lago Agrio, capital of Sucumbios province in the north of the country. She visited the oil town's San Valentin neighbourhood, where she met young Colombian refugees and Ecuadoreans who were part of a youth group supported by UNHCR. They told her about their tough lives in an area where the young are often targets for recruitment by armed groups and traffickers.
"I found these people impressive and was really moved by their determination to improve their community and take it into their own hands," Jolie said. She discussed the situation of the youth of the area with Lago Agrio's Mayor Yofre Poma, who runs a series of school programmes aimed at instilling a sense of responsibility in young people and easing the integration of refugees, who comprise 13 per cent of the town's population.
"Through these programmes, the mayor is keeping the culture of tolerance for vulnerable people who have suffered so much violence," Jolie said.
The Special Envoy also visited on Sunday two remote riverside refugee communities in the border area north of Lago Agrio. She returned after two years to the hamlet of Barranca Bermeja on the San Miguel River and met members of the local women's association, which receives UNHCR support.
The refugees spoke about the need to improve access, telling Jolie that under current government regulations they must travel to Lago Agrio in person to renew their refugee documentation. Ín the absence of a public bus service and good road, this can cost a month's salary – a huge burden.
Refugees in the border areas received their first official identity documents in a registration drive between 2008 and 2010. These have proved critical in regularizing the stay of refugees and helping them access their rights. But they now face challenges renewing their documents because the government has cut back on the number and operations of mobile registration teams.
Jolie also visited the Providencia community of 24 Afro-Colombian refugee families, some two hours west of Barranca Bermeja by boat. The settlement was established in 1994 by Colombian refugees, but received no outside help until 2008, when UNHCR turned up.
"It is extraordinary that these people were on their own for 14 years," the Special Envoy said. Since making contact with UNHCR, the refugees have been registered and a primary school has been built, but many challenges remain.
"We really feel the isolation; it is really tough," said Plinio, the community president, who was also concerned about the requirement to travel to Lago Agrio to renew refugee documents. Providencia can only be reached by hiring a boat and it is a two-hour journey from the nearest road.
Despite the hardships in Providencia, Jolie found the people inspiring. "There is this amazing teacher who is so devoted to his students that he has left Lago Agrio to live in this remote place and teach the refugees, who for the first time have access to education, who have a future," Jolie said.
The envoy said she was grateful to this teacher and the many other people who have given assistance to these vulnerable families. "Without finding safety in Ecuador, they would most likely not be alive," she said. "Nobody wants to be a refugee, to have to leave their home. Nobody wants to be living on borrowed land and to have to be begging for a visa every year and not to be able to know what their life or their children´s life is going to be, or whether they can access any jobs or get medical help."
She stressed that it was "very important that UNHCR and the government come here and give assistance. But it is also important that we help the local people understand what it is to be a refugee, what they've come from, what they've survived, what their intentions are. And their intentions are simply that they want to be safe and to have a decent life for their family."
Also on Sunday, the Special Envoy met Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño (and senior government officials) to discuss the protection situation for refugees in Ecuador on behalf of UNHCR. She urged the Minister to ensure his government maintains Ecuador’s long history of protecting refugees and that people in need of protection can access their rights.
She said UNHCR would recognize Ecuador's contribution to refugee protection in a new awareness campaign entitled, "Gracias Ecuador" ("Thanks Ecuador"). Jolie was appointed as Special Envoy of High Commissioner António Guterres earlier this month.
By Ariane Rummery in Lago Agrio, Colombia

Angelina Jolie talks to Ms. Gerardina, 71, in Barranca Bermeja, on the border between Ecuador and Colombia ( Reuters)

Angelina Jolie Takes Break from Galápagos for UN Work

By Stephen M. Silverman

Monday April 23, 2012 11:25 AM EDT

After jetting to the Galápagos Islands last week after she and Brad Pitt announced their wedding engagement, Angelina Jolie resumed her humanitarian work, this time in her new role as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Over the weekend, while their six children remained in the Galápagos, Jolie (whose former UNHCR title, for more than a decade, was goodwill ambassador) spent time with refugees by the San Miguel River, in Ecuador.

"Her work does go substantially beyond what we would typically see as being the normal role of a goodwill ambassador," Geneva-based UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters late last week, noting that Special Envoys are unpaid positions.

"I don't think you need a rocket scientist to see the benefits that she is bringing in terms of the attention that she is getting for the plight of the world's displaced," Edwards added.

In Ecuador, Jolie's activities included meeting with farmers as well as Colombian refugees.

While in the Galápagos, Jolie, Pitt and their children – Maddox, 10, Pax, 8, Zahara, 7, Shiloh, 5, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 3 – spent their time exploring different islands on the 90-foot Reina Silvia, as well as relaxing at their luxury oceanside villa.

"The kids were very excited every day. They saw many wild animals, including turtles, iguanas and tropic birds," a source tells PEOPLE. "The boat tours were all very relaxing and fun for them. Brad and Angelina looked very happy together. It seemed to be a great family vacation."

Angelina Jolie in the Ecuadorian jungle, led by Plinio, the President of Providencia community, on April 22, 2012

J Tanner/UNHCR/Getty

Angelina Jolie meets with Plinio (right)  J Tanner / UNHCR / Getty

A handout picture provided by UNHCR shows United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie (2-L) meeting with Plinio, in Providencia community, Ecuador (AAP)

Acnur/Unhcr Américas ‏ @ACNURamericas

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