Angelina Jolie News & Update: 'Maleficent' Actress' Campaign Against Rape As ‘Weapon Of War’ Needs Revival, ‘Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative’ Now More Relevant

Angelina Jolie may have failed in getting her initial campaign to fully take off against the use of rape as a "weapon of war" in countries of conflict. However, the "Maleficent" star was not off the mark, with recent findings indicating that the "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" campaign by Angelina Jolie four years ago is more relevant now and needs revival.

The Mirror reports that peers from the British House of Lords committee determined that the use of rape as a "weapon of war" is now more prevalent. This is in comparison to when Angelina Jolie first campaigned four years ago.

Angelina Jolie and former Foreign Secretary William Hague collaborated with a House of Lords committee to promote "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative." The promotion of "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" had been high-profile with Angelina Jolie and William Hague's efforts receiving a pledge of support from 120 countries.

This prompted committee chairperson Baroness Emma Nicholson to call for a clear strategy to further what the "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" campaign began. Baroness Emma Nicholson suggested the need for a five-year plan where progress accomplished by the "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" is better integrated with Government activities.

AA reports that latest United Nations statistics point to a clear need for a follow-through on the initial progress that Angelina Jolie and William Hague accomplished with the "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" campaign. Today as many as 45 groups 19 conflict zones across the globe resort to rape and sexual violence as a war strategy.

"For far too long sexual violence has been regarded as just one of those things that occurs when there is conflict," the United Nations report stated. "It is not; it is a war crime, which must not, under any circumstances, be overlooked or condoned."

The "Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative" is only one among many causes that Angelina Jolie champions. Recently, Angelina Jolie took the opportunity to visit refugees in Greece and speak up for their humanitarian rights while her husband Brad Pitt worked on zombie apocalypse sequel "World War Z 2" in London.