On August 3, 2014, the lives of thousands of Yazidis in northern Iraq were shattered when ISIS militants attacked the Yazidi community in and around Kocho, in the Sinjar region. Among those caught in the assault was 21-year-old Nadia Murad.
What followed became part of the international record as the genocide of the Yazidi people. Men and boys were killed, women and girls were abducted, and survivors were subjected to horrific abuse and forced displacement.
Nadia lost several members of her family during the attack. Her mother was among those killed, while six of her brothers were also murdered. Nadia herself was captured and taken into ISIS-controlled territory.
From Captivity to Captivity
In Mosul, Nadia was subjected to slavery, sexual violence and repeated abuse. She was reportedly sold and transferred between ISIS members several times during her captivity.
Her attempts to escape were met with further violence. The experience left her physically and emotionally traumatized, but it did not silence her.
In November 2014, Nadia found an opportunity to escape. She managed to get away and was eventually helped by a local Muslim family who took a considerable personal risk by hiding her and assisting her escape from ISIS-controlled territory.
She eventually reached safety and later travelled to Germany as part of a programme for Yazidi survivors.
Nadia Chose to Speak
For many survivors, the aftermath of such trauma can lead to a life away from public attention. Nadia chose a different path.
Instead of remaining silent, she began speaking publicly about what had happened to her, her family and thousands of other Yazidis.
In December 2015, at just 22 years old, Nadia addressed the United Nations Security Council. She described the persecution of Yazidis, the killing of civilians and the systematic sexual violence and enslavement suffered by women and girls.
Her testimony helped bring international attention to the plight of Yazidi survivors and the need to hold perpetrators accountable.
In 2016, the United Nations recognized the crimes committed against the Yazidis as genocide.
Turning Survival Into Action
Nadia's work did not stop with testimony.
In 2018, she established Nadia's Initiative, an organization focused on rebuilding communities affected by genocide and supporting survivors. Its work has included efforts involving education, healthcare, community reconstruction and justice for victims.
That same year, Nadia Murad was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, jointly with Denis Mukwege, for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
She became the first Iraqi to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
A Voice for Those Still Waiting for Justice
For Nadia, the Nobel Prize was not simply a personal achievement. Her advocacy has remained focused on the thousands of Yazidis who were killed, displaced or remain missing, as well as survivors trying to rebuild their lives.
Her journey—from a young woman captured during the ISIS assault on her community to an internationally recognized advocate for survivors—is a powerful reminder of the strength of victims who choose to speak about atrocities committed against them.
ISIS attempted to strip Nadia and other Yazidi women of their dignity and freedom. Instead, Nadia turned her experience into a campaign for justice, accountability and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Her story is ultimately not only about what happened to her. It is about what she did afterward.
Nadia Murad survived captivity, found her voice and took her testimony to the world. She refused to allow silence to become the final chapter of her story.
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