Recent Advocacy News
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.
In 2025, Nadia Murad led NI’s global advocacy efforts to advance the rights, dignity, and leadership of women and survivors around the world. From conversations with students about turning values into action, to standing alongside survivors and global leaders to drive accountability and justice, Nadia amplified the voices of women and survivors and pushed for tangible change.
Watch our 2025 advocacy overview video to learn more.
During her recent visit to Colombia, Nadia Murad had the opportunity to meet with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), local leaders, and human rights advocates who are working tirelessly to advance justice and healing in their communities. This visit marked her first time in the country – a place she has long hoped to see, not only for its beauty and culture but because of the profound connections between the experiences of Colombian survivors and survivors from the Yazidi community.
The conviction of an ISIS member in Belgium for genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Yazidi community represents a landmark in the global pursuit of justice for ISIS’s atrocities.
Nadia’s Initiative has worked closely with prosecutors, investigators, and survivors throughout this process. We commend the extraordinary bravery of the women who testified, and the dedication of all those who helped bring this case to trial.
From November 6 to 14, 2025, the trial of ISIS member and Belgian national Sammy Djedou, also known by his alias Abu Moussab al-Belgiki, will take place in Brussels, Belgium at the Assize Court, the highest Belgian court with criminal jurisdiction for the most serious offenses. Nadia’s Initiative and its staff are providing logistical support in coordination with investigators, the prosecutor’s office, and witnesses before, during, and after the proceedings.
This week marks a historic milestone for the people of Sinjar. Nadia’s Initiative (NI), in partnership with project owner La Chaîne de l’Espoir, and with support from the Government of France, completed the construction and full equipping of the new hospital in Sinjar, known as the Sinjar French Medical Center (SFMC). The facility was officially handed over this week to the Iraqi Ministry of Health and the Nineveh Health Directorate.