Nadia Murad awarded Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Nadia Murad, the 23-year-old girl who escaped Islamic State (ISIS) captivity and became the UN's goodwill ambassador, was awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize for her work as a human rights activist on Monday. 

The Council of Europe website pointed out that since her escape from three months in ISIS captivity Murad had distinguished herself by "bringing the plight of the Yezidi community, in particular the forced sexual enslavement and human trafficking of women and children captured by ISIS, to the forefront of international attention." 


On her official Twitter page Murad declared that she is "Honoured to be 2016 Vaclav Havel Prize Winner. I dedicate this Recognition to 3400 Yazidi women/children in captivity & victims of terror."


The prize is named after the former Czech president, who was a political dissident and writer.  The prize named after him has been awarded to individuals or organizations that strive to defend human rights every year since 2013. It consists of a trophy, 60,000 euros and a diploma.  


Murad had also been a candidate for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize in September but did not win it.


Amnesty International said earlier this month Yezidi women and girls still are not receiving the support they need from the international community.


“Yezidi women and girls who have been enslaved, raped beaten and otherwise tortured by the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS) are being failed by a lack of adequate support from the international community,” Amnesty said.