Angelina Jolie shares heartbreaking letter from Afghan girl in Instagram debut
Angelina Jolie shares heartbreaking letter from Afghan girl in Instagram debut
The UNHCR ambassador and star of Mr and Mrs Smith posted a letter by an Afghan teenager who said she felt her dreams were over.
2 min read
Angelina Jolie serves as an ambassador for the UNHCR [Getty]
Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie joined Instagram and used her first post to share a letter from a teenage girl in Afghanistan.
In the letter Jolie posted on Friday, the Afghan girl spoke of her fears of living in the country, which has now been taken over by the Taliban.
“Before the Taliban came in [redacted], we all went to work, school… we all had rights, we was [sic] able to defend rights freely,” the young girl’s letter read.
“But when they came, we are all afraid of them, and we think all our dreams are gone,” she continued.
Writing on Instagram, Jolie wrote: “This is a letter I was sent from a teenage girl in Afghanistan. Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely.”
“So I’ve come on Instagram to share their stories and the voices of those across the globe who are fighting for their basic human rights,” Jolie continued.
The Oscar winning actress is known for her work as an activist and humanitarian, particularly with women’s rights, and has served as a UNHCR special envoy, travelling around the world to meet those in need.
Writing on her post, she recalled a trip she made to Afghanistan over 20 years ago.
“I was on the border of Afghanistan two weeks before 9/11, where I met Afghan refugees who had fled the Taliban. This was twenty years ago,” she wrote.
“It is sickening to watch Afghans being displaced yet again out of the fear and uncertainty that has gripped their country,” she added.
“Watching for decades how Afghan refugees - some of the most capable people in the world - are treated like a burden is also sickening. Knowing that if they had the tools and respect, how much they would do for themselves. And meeting so many women and girls who not only wanted an education, but fought for it.”
“Like others who are committed, I will not turn away. I will continue to look for ways to help. And I hope you’ll join me,” she concluded.
The post proved popular, with over 2.4 million users liking the post in less than 24 hours.
The Taliban recently swept to power, plunging much of Afghanistan into chaos and threatening the rights and freedoms of many in the country, in particular, Afghan women.
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