Angelina Jolie, UN goodwill ambassador, returns to war-torn Afghanistan

Angelina Jolie visits Afghanistan for second time

Angelina Jolie made a surprise return visit on Wednesday to Afghanistan as part of her work as a goodwill ambassador for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The 35-year old Hollywood actress first visited the war-torn country in 2008. Jolie met with refugees who were displaced by the war in Afghanistan.

She met school girls in Qala Gudar village just outside Kabul, where she is sponsoring a new school. The students received educational materials during Jolie's visit.

Angelina Jolie also issued a statement calling for additional services to be provided for the refugees.

"The focus needs to be put now on reintegration and that means not just putting up shelter but making sure there is water, job opportunities, a school for the children and medical clinics," she wrote in her statement. She warned of "a continued cycle of instability and new crises" if long-term needs are not met.

According to the UN agency, around 5.5 million Afghan refugees have come back to their homeland since the Taliban was overthrown by U.S. forces nearly ten years ago. But most of them are struggling to survive with little to no livelihood and poor living conditions.

Their return from neigboring countries like Pakistan has increased Afghanistan's population, further straining the limited resources there.

Since her appointment as a goodwill ambassador by the United Nations in 2001, Angelina Jolie, sometimes accompanied by her husband Brad Pitt, has been to more than 20 countries visiting refugees and displaced persons in conflict areas. The plight of these people have received more media attention with the help of the star power of Angelina Jolie.

Posted by Kade Quinn on Saturday March 05 2011, 4:43 AM EST. Ref: USA Today. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Entertainment, Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0