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Angelina Jolie seeks more aid for orphans, poor children
Angelina Jolie seeks more aid for orphans, poor children
Friday April 27, 2007
Hollywood megastar and paparazzi favorite Angelina Jolie lobbied in Washington Thursday for the world's orphans and children at risk.
Jolie enlivened the city of drab bureaucrats to inaugurate headquarters for Global Action for Children, a non-partisan advocacy group seeking more US government funding for programs supporting orphans and vulnerable children around the world.
"The numbers associated with this problem are staggering," Jolie said in a statement. "It is overwhelming and the scale of the problem seems to give many an excuse for inaction.
"In many ways it is better to think of these children one by one, each deserving of our care and attention, each being of equal value and each being a test of whether justice -- or injustice -- will prevail," she said.
The United Nations estimates that 9.7 billion dollars are needed each year to give "comprehensive care" and universal basic education for orphans and vulnerable children around the world, according to the group.
GAC is focused on increasing US government funding by 2.5 billion dollars per year, up from the current 700 million dollars a year.
The group, founded in 2003, is supported by religious groups, charities, student groups and non-governmental organizations.
Before the press conference Jolie -- a UN goodwill ambassador -- and GAC director Jennifer Delaney met with State Department officials.
AFP
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