Nadia Murad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nadia Murad
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| نادیە موراد | |
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Murad in 2018
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| Born |
Nadia Murad Basee Taha
10 March 1993 Kocho, Iraq
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| Nationality | Kurdish |
| Citizenship |  Iraq |
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Notable work
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| Spouse(s) |
Abid Shamdeen
(m. 2018) |
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Nadia Murad Basee Taha, born on March 10, 1993, is a brave human rights activist from Iraq. She is a member of the Yazidi community. Nadia now lives in Germany. In 2014, she was kidnapped from her village, Kocho, and held by a group called the Islamic State for three months.
Murad is the founder of Nadia's Initiative. This organization helps women and children. It supports those who have suffered from terrible violence. The goal is to help them heal and rebuild their lives.
In 2018, Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege won the Nobel Peace Prize together. She is the first person from Iraq and the first Yazidi to receive this important award. In 2016, Murad was also named the first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking by the United Nations.
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Early Life
Nadia Murad was born in a village called Kocho. This village is in the Sinjar District of Iraq. Most people living there are Yazidi. Nadia's family were farmers. They belonged to the Yazidi minority group.
Nadia is the youngest of 11 children. She also has four older half-siblings. Her father married her mother after his first wife passed away. Both of her parents were very religious Yazidis. However, Nadia did not know much about her religion when she was growing up. Nadia's father died in 2003.
As a child, Nadia dreamed of owning a hair salon. She loved her home very much. She never thought she would leave Kocho to live somewhere else.
Her Work as an Activist
Nadia Murad works hard to protect human rights. On May 3, 2017, she met Pope Francis and Archbishop Gallagher in Vatican City. During their meeting, she asked for help for Yazidis still held captive. She also thanked the Vatican for supporting minority groups. They talked about creating a safe area for minorities in Iraq. She also spoke about the challenges faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.
In 2018, Murad focused on safety and justice. Her organization, Nadia's Initiative, worked with the Mine's Advisory Group (MAG). They cleared over 2.6 million square meters of land in Sinjar, Iraq, from dangerous mines. She also helped create a special United Nations resolution. This resolution called for a team to collect evidence of war crimes and other terrible acts. This evidence would help hold the Islamic State accountable.
Murad also worked with the G7 group of countries. She encouraged them to pass laws that protect women's rights. She was part of France's Gender Advisory Council.
Murad asked the government of the Iraqi Kurdistan region for help. She wanted them to rebuild Yazidi areas in Sinjar District. She also wanted refugees to be able to return home. Nechirvan Barzani, a leader in Kurdistan, promised his full support. He praised her work for peace and for Yazidi victims.
In 2019, Murad spoke at a meeting about religious freedom. She shared her story and talked about the challenges Yazidis still face. She suggested a "five-point plan of action" for Iraq. She also met with U.S. President Donald Trump. She told him about losing her mother and six brothers. She asked him to help her people.
Nadia's Initiative
In September 2016, Nadia Murad started Nadia's Initiative. She announced it at an event in New York City. This organization helps people who have suffered from genocide. It offers support and speaks up for their rights.
Global Survivors Fund
In October 2019, Nadia Murad and her fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Denis Mukwege, started the Global Survivors Fund. This fund helps people around the world who have experienced violence during conflicts. It works to make sure they receive support and justice.
Her Writings
Memoir
Nadia Murad wrote a book about her life. It is called The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State. The book was published on November 7, 2017. In her memoir, she describes being captured and enslaved by the Islamic State. The book has been translated into 44 languages. These include French, German, Arabic, Italian, and Spanish.
Personal Life
In August 2018, Nadia Murad became engaged to Abid Shamdeen. He is also a Yazidi human rights activist. They got married later that same year.
Awards and Honours
Nobel Peace Prize
In 2018, Nadia Murad won the Nobel Peace Prize. She shared the award with Denis Mukwege, a doctor from Africa. The prize committee praised her for not staying silent. They spoke about her bravery in sharing her own difficult experience. She also spoke for many other victims.
Other Prizes
Nadia Murad has received many other important awards for her work:
- 2016: First Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking for the United Nations.
- 2016: Council of Europe Václav Havel Award for Human Rights.
- 2016: Glamour Award for The Women Who Stood Up to ISIS.
- 2016: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (with Lamiya Haji Bashar).
- 2016: Clinton Global Citizen Award.
- 2016: United Nations Association of Spain Peace Prize.
- 2016: TIME 100 Most Influential People.
- 2016: Oxi Courage Award.
- 2017: Forbes 30 Under 30.
- 2018: Hillary Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security.
- 2018: Global Goals Changemaker Award.
- 2018: Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award.
- 2019: Bambi Award.
- 2019: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
- 2019: International DVF Award.
- 2019: Seton Hall University Honorary Doctorate.
- 2019: Marisa Bellisario International Prize.
- 2020: Vital Voices Global Trailblazer Award.
- 2020: Justice O'Connor Prize.
- 2020: Frank and Cheri Hermance Atlas Award.
- 2021: UC Merced Spendlove Prize.
- 2022: Chapman University Presidential Fellow.
Filmography
- On Her Shoulders
- Ôtages, produced by Garai Gold Production in Morocco
See also
In Spanish: Nadia Murad para niños
