Angelina Jolie praised for 'vocal support of Afghan women' by viral star Zahra

30 September 2023 , 17:43

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Angelina Jolie's commitment to advocacy has been praised

Zahra, a TikToker with over three million followers, took the stage at VidCon's Girl Power panel and gave a sweet shoutout to actress Angelina Jolie.

As an Afghan American, Zahra spoke passionately about the representation of voices like hers on social media. While discussing women she admires, she jumped on the opportunity to point out Angelina's history of advocacy. She said: "I always respected and admired her and she's been incredibly vocal about supporting Afghan women."

In the past, Angelina has spoken out about education for young women and at the centre of education restrictions by the Taliban. The actress commended “strength, resilience and resourcefulness" of those young women pursuing an education in the face of oppression.

Angelina Jolie wrote an opinion piece on the refugee crisis (Getty Images)

“It’s so obvious that Afghan women are an incredible resource for the country and its place in the world, and that the economy—and society as a whole—will not function without their full participation,” Angelina wrote for Time magazine.

Zahra found this touching. She explained at the Baltimore convention: "I think seeing people in pop culture... women in pop culture using their platforms for good is always really heartwarming."

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Angelina retold her encounter with a refugee in who had been close to completing her work to be a doctor in Afghanistan before the Taliban overthrew the government. The refugee expressed that fleeing was an emotional experience, but mostly due to her concern for the women of her home country.

Zahra's own Afghan heritage has an influence on her life and content (zahr4/Instagram)

The actress wrote: "It’s impossible not to think that attempts to force Afghan women back into the home will fail in the long term. It’s so obvious that Afghan women are an incredible resource for the country and its place in the world, and that the economy—and society as a whole—will not function without their full participation."

Her advocacy in recent years is only an echo of her longtime support. In 2001, a statement from the UNHCR revealed that Angelina donated $1 million to Afghanistan refugees, which made her the first individual person to take the initiative and respond to the UN's plea.

At the time, the High Commissioner said in a statement: "This significant contribution from a concerned young American reinforces my belief that, despite the trauma of recent events in her country, a strong sense of humanitarian responsibility toward innocent civilians suffering in far-off places continues to animate the spirit of caring individuals everywhere."

Alex West