From prisoner, to Nobel Prize winner.

Back in October it was announced the Nadia Murad would be the recipient of the prestigious award, making her the first Iraqi to ever win a Nobel Prize. She received the award alongside Denis Mukwege, a doctor from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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The human rights campaigner was kidnapped by the terrorist group ISIL four years ago, before making her escape. As a survivor of trafficking and abuse, she bravely spoke out about her experience in hopes of raising awareness of the plight of Yazidi refugees.

Nadia is the first Iraqi and the seventeenth woman in history to win a Nobel Prize. The Yazidi activist gave a speech after her win, in which she stressed that she was not looking for sympathy, but action. “It is my view that all victims deserve a safe haven until justice is done for them.”

 

 

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Ever since her escape, Nadia has worked tirelessly in the fight against abuse, as she was made the first UN goodwill ambassador for survivors of trafficking in 2016. She has also been visiting refugee camps and sharing her story in an addressed speech to heads of state at the United Nations headquarters.

Nadia has also worked with British-Lebanese, international and human rights lawyer, Amal Clooney, who attended the award ceremony to speak on behalf of the Iraqi and her story. In a video posted by the Nobel Prize on Twitter, Amal spoke about Nadia saying, “When I met Nadia three years ago, I never thought I would see a day like this. At a time when so many women around the world’s voices are being silenced, it means a lot to have a voice like Nadia’s be heard so loudly.”

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