Recent Advocacy News
On World Refugee Day, we honor the courage of people rebuilding their lives after conflict and displacement.
After surviving captivity and spending time displaced in Iraq, Viyan and her children were welcomed to France in 2019 through a humanitarian resettlement initiative for Yazidi single mothers and their minor children. Today, Viyan and her family are writing a new chapter. Her children attend school, the family has access to healthcare and a stable home, and they are creating a future shaped by safety, routine, and possibility.
Last week, ahead of the G7 Summit in Évian, France, Nadia Murad had the opportunity to join President Emmanuel Macron and representatives of the G7 engagement groups for an event at the Élysée Palace in Paris. The event brought together civil society leaders, advocates, and experts who have spent the past year developing recommendations for the Summit.
Nadia's message was clear: amid a global backlash against women's rights, gender equality and the fight to end conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) must remain on the world's agenda.
Last week in Geneva, Nadia's Initiative co-founder Abid Shamdeen held a series of meetings, including with Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Abid spoke with the High Commissioner about the Yazidis who remain displaced more than a decade after the genocide, and the importance of moving beyond temporary measures toward sustainable, long-term solutions.
Nadia Murad traveled to Finland for high-level meetings with senior government leaders on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and justice for survivors.
Nadia met with President Alexander Stubb and his spouse, Mrs. Suzanne Innes-Stubb, to discuss how Finland can help strengthen global responses to CRSV and expand pathways to justice for survivors. She also met with Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, to underscore the importance of sustained diplomatic leadership in advancing justice and accountability.
Nadia Murad, human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was awarded France's highest national honor — the Legion of Honour — by President Emmanuel Macron in a ceremony at the Élysée Palace on April 21.
The Legion of Honour recognizes individuals whose service reflects an exceptional commitment to the values of dignity, justice, and humanity. In awarding this honor, France acknowledged Murad’s global leadership in advancing justice and accountability for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, as well as her work to ensure that survivor voices shape international responses to these crimes.
Nadia Murad was honored at the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center's Champion Honors Luncheon, which recognizes survivors of abuse, leaders advancing awareness and prevention of child abuse, and advocates for mental health. Nadia joins a distinguished group of previous honorees, including Elizabeth Smart, Simone Biles, Connie Chung, and Aly Raisman.
At Nadia's Initiative, we are grateful for the recognition and inspired by the Center's work on behalf of children and families.
Nadia’s new memoir, I Choose My Beginning: A Story of Courage and Activism, will be published September 15, 2026 by Summit Books, with a foreword by Gloria Steinem. Following her debut The Last Girl, this book chronicles the decade since — from her work advancing justice, accountability, and survivor-centered policy on the global stage to finding love, friendship, and moments of ordinary happiness. It is an honest, courageous account of what justice actually looks like in a life, and what it takes to keep choosing it. We couldn't be more proud for Nadia to share it with the world.
Nadia’s Initiative is deeply alarmed by the escalating military conflict in Iran and across the broader Middle East. We mourn every civilian life lost and are especially concerned about the disproportionate toll war takes on women, girls, and vulnerable communities.
Nadia Murad, founder and president of Nadia’s Initiative, emphasized: “The international community must act with urgency and unity to prevent further escalation and protect those most at risk.”
Nadia’s Initiative is deeply saddened and alarmed by the killing of prominent Iraqi women’s rights activist Yanar Mohammed. She was a courageous and unwavering advocate for women’s rights and human dignity in Iraq, and her work inspired many across the country and beyond.
We stand in solidarity with her family, colleagues, and all Iraqi activists who continue to work — often at great personal risk — to advance equality, justice, and the rights of women and girls. Their voices must not be silenced.
Our partners at the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) have released In Our Own Words, a new survivor-centered resource on the ethical gathering and use of information about systematic and conflict-related sexual violence, created to complement the Murad Code. The resource was developed alongside survivors and organizations around the world, including Nadia’s Initiative, and includes a powerful foreword by Nadia Murad.