Angelina Jolie pleaded with world powers on Friday to help the millions of Syrian refugees, sharply criticizing the U.N. Security Council for being paralyzed by its division over Syria's four-year conflict. Jolie briefed the council as special envoy for the U.N. on refugee issues. When asked about Jolie's planned briefing, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari responded: 'She is beautiful.' Nearly four million Syrians have fled the conflict into neighboring countries, which warn they are dangerously overstretched. Scroll down for video . Angelina Jolie briefed the UN in her role as special envoy in New York on Friday. The actress spoke passionately about the plight of refugees in Syria and sharply criticized the UN Security Council for their lack of action . When asked about Jolie's briefing on Friday, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari (pictured left) responded: 'She is beautiful' Special envoy, Angelina Jolie, winked as she took her seat at the UN Security Council Meeting in Manhattan . Jolie listens into the discussion on Syria and the plight of refugees in the Middle East on Friday morning . United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy, actress Angelina Jolie smiles before speaking to members . Angelina Jolie pictured at the United Nations on Friday. She has been a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador since August 2001 . Angelina Jolie arrives with her speech to address the United Nations Security Council meeting in New York City on Friday . Special Envoy Angelina Jolie meets with young Syrian refugees at an informal tented settlement in Zahle, Bekaa Valley in Zahle, Lebanon in February 2014. The actress and husband Brad Pitt were reportedly moving to adopt a child from the war-torn region . The UN reports that about 440,000 people are besieged in Syria's civil war, now in its fifth year. Of those, 167,500 are trapped by government forces, 228,000 by Islamic State militants and the rest by other armed groups. The 39-year-old actress and director spoke at the United Nations in New York on Friday dressed in a white blazer, matching skirt and delicate jewelry. She had removed her $250,000 diamond engagement ring to make her speech. 'We cannot look at Syria, and the evil that has arisen from the ashes of indecision, and think this is not the lowest point in the world's inability to protect and defend the innocent,' Jolie said. 'We are standing by in Syria,' she said, adding that the council's powers lie unused because its members cannot agree on how to address the conflict. In addition, Jolie spoke briefly about the rising migrant crisis on the Mediterranean, where more than 1,300 migrants fleeing Syria and other places have drowned at sea over the past three weeks. 'It is sickening to see thousands of refugees drowning on the doorstep of the world's wealthiest continent,' she said. 'No one risks the lives of their children in this way except out of utter desperation.' Jolie, who said she has made 11 visits to Syrian refugees in the region since the crisis began in 2011, called strongly for the political will to act. Russia, a top Syria ally and backed by China, has vetoed multiple council resolutions on Syria, including an effort last year to refer the situation there to the International Criminal Court. Jolie said the council must now 'work as one,' and she said she would like to see the foreign minister of each of the 15 council members come to the table to negotiate a political solution. She also urged council members to visit Syrian refugees and see the crisis for themselves. 'Those refugees cannot come to this council, so please, will you go to them,' said Jolie. Following her UN speech, Jolie spoke on stage during the Women In The World Summit held in New York on Friday. She told a rapt audience that 'women are still treated as secondary issues' in wartorn regions. According to the NY Times said: 'It is still far too easy and accepted for leaders to ignore uncomfortable truths, from FGM (female genital mutilation) to child marriage. 'It is still the norm for women to be excluded from the peace process. Women, we know, are the first to be affected by war, and the last to be taken into account when it ends.' Angelina Jolie was helped into her seat at the UN on Friday where she made berated world powers for not doing enough to help Syria and urged them to come together for resolution . Jolie made a powerful speech before the UN where she urged council members to visit Syrian refugees and see the crisis for themselves . U.N. Special Envoy for Refugees Angelina Jolie, right, and U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees AntÛnio Guterres, left, brief the U.N. Security Council on Syria's refugee crisis . Angelina Jolie makes notes during the United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday morning . Jolie also discussed the hundreds of migrants who have drowned in the Mediterranean in the past month, saying: 'It is sickening to see thousands of refugees drowning on the doorstep of the world's wealthiest continent' Angelina Jolie was spotted leaving the David H. Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City on Friday where she attended the Women in the World Summit . Following her second speaking engagement of the day, the activist waved and got into a waiting car . Earlier this month, a business associate of Jolie and husband Brad Pitt told The Daily Express that the couple want to adopt a little Syrian girl. The megastars are already parents to six children, three biological - Shiloh, eight, and six-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, and three adopted children, Maddox ,13, from Cambodia, Pax, 11, from Vietnam, and Zahara, 10, from Ethiopia. 'She has been moved to tears on several occasions over the plight of youngsters orphaned in the Syrian conflict,' the source told The Express. 'Now she has sorted out her health issues, she and Brad believe the time is right to adopt another orphan from there, most likely a daughter.' Last month, Jolie - who married Pitt in the summer of 2014 - revealed that she could not biologically have children again as she had her ovaries removed. She had the operation to prevent cancer cells from taking over the organs - her beloved mother Marcheline Bertrand died from ovarian and breast cancer in 2007. Two years ago, Angelina underwent a double mastectomy as another preventative measure. Jolie, 39, stood out in her white suit as she joined members of the UN Security Council for the meeting . Jolie described the Syrian crisis as the 'lowest point in the world's inability to protect and defend the innocent' Fans: Angelina Jolie greets Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, before a meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan . In her second high-profile speaking engagement of the day, actress Angelina Jolie speaks on stage during the Women In The World Summit held in New York on Friday . According to reports, Jolie and husband Brad Pitt were moving to adopt a child from Syria. The megastars are parents to three biological children - Shiloh, eight, and six-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, and three adopted children, Maddox ,13, from Cambodia, Pax, 11, from Vietnam, and Zahara, 10, from Ethiopia (pictured in 2014)
The actress briefed the council as special envoy for the U.N. on refugee issues in New York on Friday . Jolie lambasted the Security Council for their inaction over the crisis, saying: 'We are standing by in Syria' Syria's ambassador said simply of her presence: 'She's beautiful' Nearly four million Syrians have fled the conflict into neighboring countries, which warn they are dangerously overstretched . Angelina Jolie went on to speak at the Women In The World Summit held in Manhattan on Friday afternoon .