'This horror must end': Defiant Angelina Jolie suits up as she urges world leaders to combat warzone rape during impassioned appeal before U.N. Security Council

As a leading Hollywood actress, Angelina Jolie can raise publicity and awareness with the snap of her fingers.

And after recently going public about her double mastectomy – and encouraging women across the world to get regular check ups – Jolie put another worthy matter before the world stage on Monday in her capacity as a U.N ambassador.

The 38-year-old actress made her debut before the U.N.’s most powerful body as a special envoy for refugees – and urged the world’s nations to make the fight against rape in war a top priority.

Her most serious role yet: Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie appears in her capacity as a U.N. ambassador, urging world leaders to make combating warzone rape a top priority

She told the Security Council that ‘hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of women, children and men have been raped in conflicts in our lifetimes’.

Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said the Security Council has witnessed 67 years of wars and conflict since it was established ‘but the world has yet to take up warzone rape as a serious priority.’

‘You set the bar,’ she told the council. ‘If the … council sets rape and sexual violence in conflict as a priority it will become one and progress will be made. If you do not, this horror will continue.’

‘This horror must end’: The actress was at a meeting with the Security Council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday

Jolie speaks with diplomats before the meeting where she criticised UN Security Council powers for their lack of action over wartime rapes in a surprise speech to the body

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who presided over the meeting, stressed that ‘in conflicts in nearly every corner of the globe, rape is used systematically and ruthlessly, in the almost certain knowledge that there will be no consequences for the perpetrators.’

Soon after Jolie spoke, the council adopted a legally-binding resolution demanding the complete and immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence by all parties to armed conflict.

It noted that sexual violence can constitute a crime against humanity and a contributing act to genocide, called for improved monitoring of sexual violence in conflict, and urged the U.N. and donors to assist survivors.

Making a resolution: Ambassadors from Russia, China, the U.S., France and Britain listened as Jolie said they should ‘show the determination’ to defend the hundreds of thousands of victims of sexual attacks in conflict

Making an impact: Soon after Jolie spoke, the council adopted a legally-binding resolution demanding the complete and immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence by all parties to armed conflict

Jolie, who has traveled extensively in her role as goodwill ambassador, recalled several of the survivors she had met – the mother of a five-year-old girl raped outside a police station in Goma in eastern Congo, and a Syrian woman she spoke to in Jordan last week who asked to hide her name and face ‘because she knew that if she spoke out about the crimes against her she would be attacked again, and possibly killed.’

Jolie pleaded with the Security Council – and all countries – to implement the resolution and not let the issue drop.

‘Meet your commitments, debate this issue in your parliaments, mobilize people in your countries, and build it into all your foreign policy efforts,’ she urged.

Warm welcome: Jolie embraces an unidentified diplomat at the meeting

Voicing her opinion: Seen here shaking hands with and speaking to Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (L), Minister of Womens Rights and Government Spokesperson of France

‘Together, you can turn the tide of global opinion, shatter impunity and finally put an end to this abhorrence.’

Secretary-General Ban paid tribute to Jolie for being the voice of millions forced to flee their homes ‘and now for the many survivors of wartime rape whose bodies have been used as battlegrounds.’

The actress has returned to her U.N. duties this month following her double mastectomy earlier this year, which she had performed after test showed she carried a faulty BRCA1 gene – and that she had an 87 per cent chance of getting breast cancer.