Angelina Jolie is giving her thoughts on how best to help refugees around the world.
The 44-year-old actress wrote an essay titled “What We Owe Refugees” for TIME magazine in which she highlighted the difference between refugee and migrant — just one day before World Refugee Day.
“Why then has the word refugee acquired such negative connotations in our times?” Jolie wrote. “Why are politicians being elected on promises to shut borders and turn back refugees?”
“Today the distinction between refugees and migrants has been blurred and politicized,” she wrote. “Refugees have been forced to flee their country because of persecution, war or violence. Migrants have chosen to move, mainly to improve their lives.”
She continued, “Some leaders deliberately use the terms refugee and migrant interchangeably, using hostile rhetoric that whips up fear against all outsiders.”
“Everyone deserves dignity and fair treatment, but we need to be clear about the distinction,” Jolie wrote. “Under international law, it is not an option to assist refugees, it is an obligation. It is perfectly possible to ensure strong border control and fair, humane immigration policies while meeting our responsibility to help refugees.”
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“As we mark World Refugee Day on June 20, it is an illusion to think that any country can retreat behind its borders and simply hope the problem will go away,” she added. “We need leadership and effective diplomacy. We need to focus on long-term peace based on justice, rights, and accountability to enable refugees to return home.”
The mother of six was named a contributing editor for TIME on Wednesday where she will write about a variety of topics including human rights, displacement and conflict.
This is the latest project Jolie is taking on. The actress is gearing up to debut Maleficent: Mistress of Evil later this year, as well as producing and voicing a character on the animated film The One and Only Ivan.
She’s also attached to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Eternals.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is in theaters Oct. 18.
from PEOPLE.com http://bit.ly/31MSldJ
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