Angelina Jolie has been appointed as goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights since 2001. And as such, she has traveled across war-torn and poverty-stricken countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, urging governments to step up efforts in resolving human rights issues.

On October 4, she appeared on the 62nd UNHCR Executive Committee meeting, where she has been named as a Special Representative of the agency in its role on refugee issues in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Antonio Guteres, U.N. HCR Commissioner said she will be the special envoy for dramatic situations to mobilize strong international support as she works collaboratively with those governments.

Core Objective

For many decades, victims of wars and savages face security threats compelling them to flee their country, had they survived. According to the UNCHR, there are 11 to 12 million refugees in 2010. Most of them sought refuge in developed and developing countries. A portion of them decided to go home. But if there were any changes in their condition upon returning, health aspect was among them.

In a 2009 study released by the UNHCR on its water programme in Afghanistan, the agency reported that since 2002, there have been 9,365 water points disseminated across the country. This development helps approximately 1.4 million Afghans including the refugees as lack of safe drinking water is among the issues refugees face upon return. Last year, there were 280,000 registered Afghans the agency repatriated in Pakistan and 3,000 in Iran.

The access to safe drinking water, coupled with having no land and shelter are among the points that discouraged refugees from returning home. Since 2001 after Taliban regime was defeated, there were 5.6 million Afghans who went home. Of that figure, 4.4 million from Pakistan and Iran were repatriated by the UNHCR.

Sanitation is another consequential problem of the lack of water. But UNHCR said in its Economic and Social Council Report, refugees need to be educated on the links between poor sanitation, hygiene practices, and polluted water resources and diseases to achieve optimal health benefit from having water points.

Following the positive outcome of water programme in Afghanistan, the UNHCR resolved it will include water and sanitation projects in its future pursuits as there are still more women and children exposed to risks while traveling to distant water points for access.