Angelina Jolie attends Global Summit against sexual violence

World Today

Day 1 of the summit and a celebrity face kick-started the event. CCTV’s Dan Whitehead reports.

Angelina Jolie attends Global Summit against sexual violence

Day 1 of the summit and a celebrity face kick-started the event. CCTV’s Dan Whitehead reports.

Angelina Jolie, who is the Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees , joined the British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

It’s hoped that this Global Summit to End Sexual Violence, which is being attended by officials from countries including Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia, will secure real commitments to ending sexual violence abroad. Those working in conflict zones to help victims say sexual violence is used as a weapon in war zones.

Aside from the political meetings due to take place later in the week, the event is open to the public, in a bid to spread the message about ending sexual violence further.

This is not just about high-level political meetings. As well as the stalls and performances , real victims of sexual violence have traveled to London, giving first-hand accounts of the terrible abuses they’ve faced. Many campaigners are critical towards the British government, saying that they should ensure proper help is available to victims arriving in the UK from war-torn countries, as well as eradicating the problem abroad.