Angelina Jolie Delivers Massive Warning Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Angelina Jolie used her talent in writing to send a warning to people regarding how the refugee crisis all over the world will worsen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 18, Angelina penned an article titled "The World's Refugee Crisis Is Bad Now-But It's Only Going to Get Worse" for TIME Magazine.
Her article came after the U.N. Refugee Agency published its latest annual report on the current situation of human displacement across countries.
"As the burning injustice of discrimination and racism in America bursts to the forefront, we must also address persecution and oppression rising globally, depriving millions of their rights, their liberty, and their physical safety," Jolie began her piece.
The "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" actress revealed the agency's statistics, stating that over 80 million people are currently living as refugees. The number is considered as the highest count of forced displacement victims ever recorded, and it means that the crisis is affecting one percent of humans all over the world.
According to Angelina, what made her heart hurt even more was the fact that this decade has been fueled by hardships and catastrophes.
In addition, a high number of these refugees are serving on the frontline of the COVID-19 response, but they have been regarded as a burden. They also experience the worst while helping people as they receive racist responses rather than words of thanks.
"But in the last 10 years, what little justice and solutions were available for refugees has dried up," Jolie explained, referring to how things will soon get worse if they are left disregarded somewhere else.
Despite the alarming status due to the pandemic, Angelina shared how much she wanted to help the refugees that she was eager to join UNHNR in her early 20s.
She later on assured that her fight for human rights and equality will always be universal and that the people's fight amid this crisis is her fight, too.
"There is a dividing line running across our world between those who have rights and freedom and those who do not. Who we choose to stand with, and how much we are prepared to change and to fight, should not stop at our borders," she went on.
The article also marked the first year ever since the actress joined TIME as a Contributing Editor.
On June 19, 2019, Editor in Chief and CEO of TIME Edward Felsenthal welcomed Angelina to the team and announced that she plans to focus on tackling displacement and human rights.
She published her first article for TIME as part of World Refugee Day that year. It then became part of the July 1 issue of the print magazine, following her previous essay about women's role in the peace negotiations in Afghanistan.
The World Health Organization has also done its part by publishing interim guidance titled "Preparedness, prevention and control of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for refugees and migrants in non-camp settings" as part of the organization's holistic effort to respond to the pandemic.
