Ben Affleck Helping Humanitarian Efforts One Film at a Time

Ben Affleck has been out of the Hollywood scene after directing his feature film, Gone Baby Gone, last year. Affleck is expecting his second child with wife Jennifer Garner later this month, but has managed to release a new documentary called Gimme Shelter, which exploits the humanitarian issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to Affleck, 36, he made the film "in order to focus attention on the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at a time when too much of the world is indifferent or looking the other way."

Affleck addressed an audience of activists at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Wednesday. The event was sponsored by the U.N. Refuge Agency, UNHCR.

"We step up when these terrible crises occur," said Affleck.

Affleck has visited the DRC four times in the past twelve months, and has had discussions with the leaders on all sides of the crisis, including warlords, peacemakers, activists, and government employees.

"I've had to be really judicious. I got exposed to really smart people. [I've had] to give myself a kind of great post-graduate education," said Affleck.

Affleck noted that the UNHCR needs more funding in order to keep afloat in light of the worldwide economic slowdown. Additionally, he urged for more diplomacy in the region.

"Diplomacy won't cost us anything," said Affleck.

Poking fun at the U.N. Refuge Agency's most prominent spokeswoman, Angelina Jolie, he said, "UNHCR needs to find a Goodwill Ambassador who can get some sort of press attention."

According to statistics from the U.N., over 5.4 million people have died from the crisis, and millions more have been displaced from their homes. To view the documentary, visit http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20247460,00.html.