Angelina Jolie announced on Friday that she would be stepping down from her role as the UNHCR's special envoy after more than 20 years of working with the refugee agency.
The Hollywood actress has carried out more than 60 field missions with UNHCR, shining a spotlight on the plight of millions of people displaced from their homes over the past two decades.
“After 20 years working within the UN system, I feel it is time for me to work differently, engaging directly with refugees and local organisations, and supporting their advocacy for solutions,” Jolie said in a statement.
“I will continue to do everything in my power in the years to come to support refugees and other displaced people.”
Angelina Jolie in Yemen — in pictures
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Hollywood actress and UN special envoy Angelina Jolie, left, sits with displaced Yemeni women and listens to their stories of struggle in Al Kandam, Yemen. AP -
The actress arrived in Yemen on Sunday to meet people who have been displaced by the country's seven-year conflict. AP -
Her visit comes before the annual pledging meeting for Yemen on March 16. AFP -
Jolie is hoping her visit will help draw attention to the conflict's catastrophic consequences, said the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. AP -
Jolie inside a camp for people displaced by war in Lahej, Yemen. Reuters -
The UN special envoy shakes hands with a woman displaced by war. Reuters -
UN aid chiefs worry that donor fatigue will affect Yemen, as governments shift allocations to Ukraine, Afghanistan and other crises. Reuters -
Jolie gestures as she leaves a camp for displaced people. Reuters
UNHCR called her one of the most influential proponents of refugee rights, bringing international attention to underfunded humanitarian emergencies.
The Oscar-winning star has worked with UNHCR since 2001 and became a special envoy in 2012.
In this expanded role, she built awareness and support for refugees and called for urgent solutions for people forced to flee their homes, UNHCR said.
Jolie has “worked tirelessly … to bear witness to stories of suffering as well as hope and resilience”, the Geneva-based agency said.
In October, she travelled to Pakistan to meet people affected by devastating floods that killed more than 1,400 people. Experts have said the heavier-than-usual monsoon rains that caused the floods were triggered by climate change.
“This is a real wake-up call to the world about where we're at,” she said at the time. “Climate change is not only real and it's not only coming, it's very much here.”
During a visit to Yemen in March, Jolie visited families displaced by the country's civil war, which has been raging since 2015.
The war has claimed more than 370,000 lives, directly and indirectly, the UN says, and has caused widespread suffering, with four fifths of Yemen’s 30 million people needing aid.
“We urgently need to find solutions that enable conflicts to be addressed and displaced people to be able to return home in dignity and safety,” she said.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Jolie visited the hard-hit city of Lviv, meeting displaced people and those who are trying to help them.
UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said of Jolie: “We are grateful for her decades of service, her commitment, and the difference she has made for refugees and people forced to flee.
“After a long and successful time with UNHCR, I appreciate her desire to shift her engagement and support her decision.
“I know the refugee cause will remain close to her heart, and I am certain she will bring the same passion and attention to a wider humanitarian portfolio.”
Jolie is a well-respected actress in Hollywood, garnering numerous awards and accolades for her performances in films such as Girl, Interrupted, Changeling and A Mighty Heart.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
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Brad Pitt allegedly hit one of his children in the face and choked another during a fight with Angelina Jolie on a private plane, according to court papers filed by his ex-wife. Getty Images / AFP -
Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of seeking to inflict harm on him by selling her stake in their French vineyard to a Russian oligarch. Getty Images / AFP -
Actress and humanitarian Jolie meets a flood victim at a makeshift shelter during her visit to Ibrahim Chandio village at Johi town in Dadu district, Sindh province in Pakistan. AFP -
Jolie being presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. PA -
Jolie comforts a young victim of the Kramatorsk railway station missile strike in Lviv children's hospital, in western Ukraine. EPA -
Jolie waves as she evacuates during her visit to Lviv, amid air raid sirens during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reuters -
Jolie walks inside the main railway station during her visit to Lviv. Reuters -
Jolie poses for a picture with Ukrainian children. Reuters -
Jolie visits a young patient from Ukraine at the Bambino Gesu Paediatric Hospital in Rome, Italy. Reuters -
Jolie attends an event to celebrate the reauthorisation of the Violence Against Women Act at the White House. AP -
Jolie sits with displaced Yemeni women and listens to their stories of struggle in Al Kandam, Yemen. AP -
The actress arrived in Yemen to meet people who have been displaced by the country's seven-year conflict. AP -
Her visit came before the annual UN pledging meeting for Yemen. AFP -
Jolie is hoping her visit will help draw attention to the conflict's catastrophic consequences, said the UN refugee agency. AP -
Jolie inside a camp for people displaced by war in Lahej, Yemen. Reuters -
The UN special envoy shakes hands with a woman displaced by war. Reuters -
Jolie visits with displaced people in Yemen. Reuters -
Jolie gestures as she leaves a camp for displaced people. Reuters
