Actor Angelina Jolie has been named an honorary dame in the Queen’s birthday honours this year. She was granted this distinction in recognition of her work in highlighting sexual violence in conflict.
Ms. Jolie, who is also the United Nation’s Special Envoy for Refugees, has spent the last few days in London co-chairing the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict with Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Said to be the largest gathering of its kind ever held, the Summit brought together government representatives from over 120 countries, and over 1000 civil society and international organisations, faith leaders, youth organisations and experts. They pledged to “tackle sexual violence in conflict, just as previous generations joined forces to put an end to slavery and landmines.”
The Summit concluded with the adoption of an “International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict”, which sets out international standards on how to collect and document evidence while protecting the identity and safety of witnesses, in order to increase convictions and deter future perpetrators.
Others on the Queen’s list of honours
Stephen Sutton, the inspiring 19-year-old, who raised £ 4 million to fight cancer before his own death from cancer, has been granted an Order of the British Empire (MBE). Although the announcement comes after his death, he had accepted the honour when alive.
Actor Dame Maggie Smith, 79, has been elevated to a companion of honour for services to drama.
Daniel Day Lewis, 55, who won the Oscar for his role in the film Lincoln was granted a knighthood. He is currently filming for the BBC ’s adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s historical novels on Thomas Cromwell. Ms. Mantel, 61, who was previously a CBE, has been made a dame.
A total of 1149 people are in this year’s honour list given for public service in different spheres of life. Women constitute 49 per cent of this year’s awardees.
The recipients range from 19-year-old George Fielding, Chair, Ambassador and Kidz Board Member of Whizz Kidz, who received a British Empire Medal (BEM), to 99-year-old Ethel Dobbins, who also received a BEM for her services to her community in Lancashire.
Of the recipients, 73 per cent are honoured for community work, 11 per cent for work in education, and eight per cent for contributions in the health sector. Business and industry awardees constitute 11 per cent of the candidates, and science and technology three per cent.
Of the successful candidates 6.2 per cent come from ethnic minorities communities. Amongst them, and in the sports category, is Dilawer Singh, who received an MBE for his lifetime contribution to introducing new communities to sport in Glasgow.
