United Nations ( CNN ) -- The wives of the British and German ambassadors to the United Nations have taken on Syria 's first lady in an online video , calling on Asma al-Assad to `` stop your husband '' and `` stop being a bystander . '' The roughly four-minute video , posted to YouTube , juxtaposes pictures of an elegant al-Assad , the wife of Bashar al-Assad , against images of other Syrian women , and dead and wounded children . `` We want her ( al-Assad ) to speak out for the end of violence . That is what we want . Stop the bloodshed . Stop it now . We know this is a risk for you , but take this risk , '' Huberta von Voss-Wittig , the wife of Germany 's U.N. ambassador , told CNN . Speaking to CNN in interviews Tuesday and Wednesday , Voss-Wittig said the Syrian first lady `` should get her act together '' and `` not worry so much about her husband but worry a little bit more about women in her country . '' A U.N. diplomat said the video was produced by Voss-Wittig and Sheila Lyall Grant , the wife of Britain 's U.N. ambassador , `` on their own initiative . '' Voss-Wittig stresses that the video is n't a U.N. product or `` done by us as spouses . '' `` It 's done by us as women who care and as women who have an international profile ourselves , '' she said . Profile : Asma al-Assad , Syria 's first lady . Syria has been engulfed in violence for 13 months as a national uprising spread after the government began cracking down on peaceful protests . The United Nations estimates at least 9,000 people have died since the demonstrations began , while others put the death toll at more than 11,000 . The video comes days after U.N. and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan forged what has become a fragile cease-fire . `` We think it 's a good moment now that the cease-fire has been installed . It 's very wobbly , it 's not quite working yet but we think she should not hide behind her husband 's back anymore and should come forward with a straight message for peace , '' Voss-Wittig said . `` Stand up for peace , Asma , '' a voice in the video demands . `` Speak out now . For the sake of your people . Stop your husband and his supporters . Stop being a bystander . '' In one clip , the Syrian first lady can be seen bending down to kiss a young girl stepping off a bus . The next image is of a woman embracing what appears to be a dead child . `` Asma , when you kiss your own children goodnight , another mother will find the place next to her empty , '' the narrator says . The video is the latest in a series of professionally produced videos aimed at stirring or shocking people into action . It asks viewers to sign a petition . Other recent examples that went viral include `` Kony 2012 , '' a documentary on a notorious Africa warlord 's use of child soldiers in Uganda , and a video showing Mexican children acting out the roles of drug traffickers , kidnappers and victims . Once described by Vogue magazine as `` a rose in the desert , '' the London-born al-Assad graduated from King 's College with a degree in computer science . She worked for JP Morgan as an investment banker before marrying Bashar al-Assad in 2000 , just months after he became president . According to a cache of e-mails leaked to CNN , the first lady appears to have spent much of the past year shopping online for expensive jewelry , art and furniture , and e-mailing boutiques in London and Paris . In one e-mail exchange with an art dealer in London , she -- apparently using a false name -- inquired about six artworks that feature butterflies . The dealer responds that the works cost between Â£5,000 and Â£10,500 ( $ 7,800 and $ 16,500 ) . The art inquiry was sent October 28 , the same day Syrian protesters staged a massive demonstration in the city of Hama in which they called for an end to the Syrian president 's rule . `` No one cares about your image , '' the voice in the video says . `` We care about your action . ''
NEW : Asma al-Assad should `` get her act together , '' Voss-Wittig says . The Syrian government has been accused of using chemical weapons in the past and is believed to have used sarin, a nerve agent, on civilians during an attack last year. It is the latest in a series of polished videos aimed at stirring people into action . ` ` We want her to speak out for the end of violence , '' says Voss-Wittig .