Angelina Jolie has made her Instagram debut - but rather than share selfies with the world, she has instead shared what many are calling an "important" message.

The 46-year-old Maleficent actor shared her first post on the social media platform on Friday, August 20, urging others to join her in support of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Explaining her decision to join the image-sharing site in the post's caption, Jolie writes: "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."

Credit: UPI / Alamy

As reported by Vanity Fair, Jolie's debut on Instagram resulted in her amassing two million followers in just two hours - a potential new record on the platform. As of this writing, Jolie stands at 5.2 million followers.

As for her one and only post, it shows a letter given to Jolie that was written by a young girl in Afghanistan. She writes in fear at how the Taliban will revoke her human rights, and how the Taliban have "a very bad past".

Jolie's caption continued: "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.

"It is sickening to watch Afghans being displaced yet again out of the fear and uncertainty that has gripped their country."

Speaking of the Taliban's sudden political takeover of Afghanistan on Sunday, Jolie writes: "To spend so much time and money, to have blood shed and lives lost only to come to this, is a failure almost impossible to understand."

The mom-of-six then writes about how watching Afghanistan refugees being "treated like a burden" is "sickening".

She concluded the post by writing: "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."

The post has amassed over 2.16 million likes in less than 22 hours.

Many commenters praised Jolie for sharing her "important" message with the world.

"So proud of you! Thank u so much for using your voice," wrote one Instagram fan account.

Credit: Instagram Credit: Instagram

A second typed: "Welcome to Instagram and thank you for speaking up for the Afghan women who don't have a chance to use their voices right now."

The official page for Amnesty International simply wrote: "Important. Thank you, Angelina."

Featured image credit: Sipa US / Alamy

Angelina Jolie was one of the first women to come forward with her own story of sexual harassment from shamed movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Since then, many more have found the courage to speak up about their own encounters with Weinstein, as well as a number of other powerful figures in the industry.

For Jolie, the issue of sexual abuse is one she's extremely passionate about, and not just because it hits close to home. The 42-year-old has recently raised an important call-to-action on the same issue that affects parts of the world we don't hear about as much as Hollywood.

In a powerful keynote speech she delivered at the United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Summit in Vancouver in 2017, Jolie called on international conflict negotiators to combat sexual violence that happens so frequently around the world.

The actress is also a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and has been speaking out about sexual violence for many years now, in 2014 pointing out how rape is a "weapon of war" done "to torture and to humiliate innocent people, and often very young children."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb9RUkhh9EN/?taken-by=angelinajolieofficial]]

Appropriately, she didn't mention her own encounter with Weinstein during the speech – which happened in the late 90s when he made unwanted advances on her in a hotel room – but she did touch upon the matter within her field of work in Hollywood.

"Sexual violence is everywhere – in the industry where I work, in business, in universities, in politics, in the military, and across the world."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbiqemQjKJG/?taken-by=unitednations]]

Jolie said sexual abuse is "a critical obstacle to achieving women's equality and our full human rights" and suggested the belief that "this behavior is sexual" is one of the key reasons these crimes still occur.

"All too often, these kinds of crimes against women are laughed off, depicted as a minor offense by someone who cannot control themselves, as an illness, or as some kind of exaggerated sexual need. But a man who mistreats women is not oversexed. He is abusive."

She referenced the most "extreme form" of sexual abuse where it is used "as a weapon of war". In the Democratic Republic of Congo, she said, militia fighters raped children because they were told "that blood of virgins would grant them supernatural protection". She added that all female Rohingya refugees in Bangladeshi camps had either survived sexual violence or had witnessed it.

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/UNPeacekeeping/status/931034656186753024]]

But Jolie also debunked another myth – that it is an issue impossible to resolve. Pointing to efforts from military leaders in recent years, she highlighted the efforts where the taboo issue has not only been addressed but where action has also been taken.

"Look at how hard it is in our own societies, the argument goes. How could we possibly prevent sexual violence in the extreme conditions of war?

"It is hard, but it is not impossible. We have the laws, the institutions, and the expertise in gathering evidence. We are able to identify perpetrators. What is missing is the political will."

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbgwVvSuNfg]]

After highlighting that sexual violence can be combatted with the cooperation of senior military officers, Jolie concluded her speech by emphasising that it is possible.

"I am determined to do everything I can to support your efforts," she said, before exiting the stage.

Angelina Jolie was one of the first women to come forward with her own story of sexual harassment from shamed movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Since then, many more have found the courage to speak up about their own encounters with Weinstein, as well as a number of other powerful figures in the industry. For Jolie, the issue of sexual abuse is one she's extremely passionate about, and not just because it hits close to home. The 42-year-old has recently raised an important call-to-action on the same issue that affects parts of the world we don't hear about as much as Hollywood. In a powerful keynote speech she delivered at the United Nations Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Summit in Vancouver earlier this month, Jolie called on international conflict negotiators to combat sexual violence that happens so frequently around the world. The actress is also a special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and has been speaking out about sexual violence for many years now, in 2014 pointing out how rape is a "weapon of war" done "to torture and to humiliate innocent people, and often very young children." [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb9RUkhh9EN/?taken-by=angelinajolieofficial]] Appropriately, she didn't mention her own encounter with Weinstein during the speech – which happened in the late 90s when he made unwanted advances on her in a hotel room – but she did touch upon the matter within her field of work in Hollywood.

"Sexual violence is everywhere – in the industry where I work, in business, in universities, in politics, in the military, and across the world."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbiqemQjKJG/?taken-by=unitednations]] Jolie said sexual abuse is "a critical obstacle to achieving women's equality and our full human rights" and suggested the belief that "this behavior is sexual" is one of the key reasons these crimes still occur. "All too often, these kinds of crimes against women are laughed off, depicted as a minor offense by someone who cannot control themselves, as an illness, or as some kind of exaggerated sexual need. But a man who mistreats women is not oversexed. He is abusive." She referenced the most "extreme form" of sexual abuse where it is used "as a weapon of war". In the Democratic Republic of Congo, she said, militia fighters raped children because they were told "that blood of virgins would grant them supernatural protection". She added that all female Rohingya refugees in Bangladeshi camps had either survived sexual violence or had witnessed it. [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/UNPeacekeeping/status/931034656186753024]] But Jolie also debunked another myth – that it is an issue impossible to resolve. Pointing to efforts from military leaders in recent years, she highlighted the efforts where the taboo issue has not only been addressed but where action has also been taken. "Look at how hard it is in our own societies, the argument goes. How could we possibly prevent sexual violence in the extreme conditions of war?

"It is hard, but it is not impossible. We have the laws, the institutions, and the expertise in gathering evidence. We are able to identify perpetrators. What is missing is the political will."

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbgwVvSuNfg]] After highlighting that sexual violence can be combatted with the cooperation of senior military officers, Jolie concluded her speech by emphasising that it is possible. "I am determined to do everything I can to support your efforts," she said, before exiting the stage.

Angelina Jolie has opened up about the ups and downs of single motherhood after her split from her ex-husband Brad Pitt.

In her latest cover story for Vogue, the 48-year-old actress described the shift in her life when she became a mom to her eldest son Maddox whom she adopted in 2002.

"I was 26 when I became a mother," she told the outlet. "My entire life changed. Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently."

The Maleficent star who is also a mom to Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox, also added that due to the difficulties that have come about in her life more recently since her split from her ex-husband Pitt, 59, she's thankful to her children for giving her a reason to live.

(L-R) Maddox, Vivienne, Angelina, Knox, Shiloh, and Zahara at the LA premiere of Eternals in 2021. Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty"I think, recently, I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them. They’re better than me because you want your children to be. Of course, I’m the mother, and hopefully that safe place for them and that stability.

"But I’m also the one that they laugh at - and I see them taking over so many different aspects of our family," she added.

Despite guiding them as best as she can, she also hopes that they continue to "be their own people" and express themselves in the way they deem best.

"My kids would roll their eyes if they were here," Jolie said when talking about her own childhood methods of expression. "I was quite dark when I was young. I was a punk, not the popular kid - going to thrift stores, cutting things up, burning little teeny cigarette holes into things: That was me as a teenager, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Maybe that part of me wants to push back.

"I don’t tell the kids how to dress," she continued. "Even when they were little, I just put things in front of them. Nobody has to go anywhere if they don’t want to, and if they don’t want to dress up, they don’t have to... I want them to be their own people."

Angelina Jolie says her children gave her a reason to live. Credit: Amy Sussman/WireImage/GettyJolie's interview comes after what has been a tumultuous few years for the star and her family.

Back in September 2016, it was first reported that the 48-year-old had filed for divorce from her then-husband, Pitt. According to court documents, she cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split and requested physical custody of their six children and visitation for Pitt.

It was added that Jolie did not request child or spousal support.

Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/GettySpeaking to PEOPLE, Jolie's attorney told the outlet at the time that this decision was made for the "health of her family."

"Angelina Jolie Pitt has filed for dissolution of the marriage. This decision was made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult time," the statement said.

In response, Pitt said: "I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time."

Things only continued to get messier as the highly publicized divorce played out.

In 2021, Pitt lost all visitation rights with his kids due to a violation of "his ethical obligations," as per a ruling by Judge John Ouderkirk who oversaw the case at the time.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a contentious divorce. Credit: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/GettyWhen discussing the separation publicly for the first time, she told the Guardian that she's not "the kind of person who makes decisions like the decisions I had to make lightly."

"It took a lot for me to be in a position where I felt I had to separate from the father of my children," she continued before adding: "I mean, in some ways, it's been the last decade. There's a lot I can't say."

Amid the back and forth with the children's situation, the pair have also been involved in a battle regarding their winery Château Miraval which has led to multiple lawsuits filed against Jolie from Pitt in a bid to allegedly "protect his family."

A source told People that "Mr. Pitt saying that he is suing his ex-wife to protect his family is hard to understand because he is well aware the children have not felt able to return to the house in France for almost seven years now due to the events that led to Ms. Jolie filing for divorce."

Featured Image Credit: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Angelina Jolie has left Ukrainians in awe after being spotted in a cafe in Lviv.

In a video shared to Facebook by local Mayya Podgorodetskaya, the 46-year-old Tomb Raider star could be seen paying a visit to a cafe in the western Ukrainian city of Lyiv.

Despite being shared just hours ago, Podgorodetskaya's video has already been viewed nearly 500,000 times, as of this writing.

Podgorodetskaya captioned the video (translated): "Nothing special. Just Lviv. I just went to have coffee. Just Angelina Jolie. Ukraine is simply supported by the whole world."

Check out the video below:

In the short video, Jolie can be seen wearing casual clothing and a backpack. She then appears be signing something for a fan before turning to look at the camera and waving.

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" against the eastern European country, Jolie took to Instagram to express her thoughts to the people of Ukraine.

"Like many of you, I’m praying for the people in Ukraine," she wrote. "My focus along with my @refugees colleagues is that everything possible is done to ensure the protection and basic human rights of those displaced, and refugees in the region.

"We have already seen reports of casualties and people starting to flee their homes to seek safety. It is too soon to know what will happen, but the significance of this moment - for the people of Ukraine, and for the international rule of law - cannot be overstated."

It is currently unclear why the actor is visiting the country, but as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Jolie has previously worked closely with refugees and global displacement issues.

In this role, Jolie has completed nearly 60 field missions, visiting countries like Thailand and Iraq to help find "solutions for people forced to flee their homes".

If you would like to know how you can support the Ukrainian people at this time, click HERE to find a list of organizations and groups dedicated to helping those affected by this crisis.

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