New York / Vienna, 14 September 2016 - Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Nadia Murad Basee Taha, who survived trafficking at the hands of ISIL, will be appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. The appointment marks the first time a survivor of atrocities is bestowed with this distinction.
The induction ceremony will take place on Friday, September 16th, at 3:00pm in the United Nations Trusteeship Council Chamber in the New York United Nations Headquarters, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace. The event will be held in the presence of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, H.E. Ambassador Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, and Ms. Amal Clooney, international human rights barrister and attorney for Ms. Murad.
Ms. Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi woman, briefed the Security Council in the first-ever session on human trafficking, which was held during the presidency of the United States on December 16, 2015. She described being rounded up with fellow Yazidis in Iraq in 2014 and witnessing as ISIL fighters shot men and boys in cold blood. She was subject to grave abuses at the hands of ISIL fighters and was bought and sold various times.
A relentless advocate for victims, Ms. Murad was recently named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People of 2016". She has met with various heads of state and global leaders to raise the plight of Yazidi victims of trafficking. During her Ambassadorship, Nadia will focus on advocacy initiatives and raise awareness around the plight of the countless victims of trafficking in persons, especially refugees, women and girls.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the lead UN entity fighting all forms of human trafficking, including sexual slavery, forced labour, child soldiering and trafficking for the purpose of organ removal. UNODC is the custodian of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and mandated to manage the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. UNODC works with governments, NGOs, the private sector, foundations, the arts and media community, academia and think tanks to combat human trafficking by raising public awareness, supporting survivors, engaging in preventative efforts and enhancing the capacity and skills of criminal justice professionals and policymakers.
Media quotes:
"Nadia
survived horrific crimes. I cried when I heard her story. But I didn't only cry out of sadness. I was also moved to tears because Nadia has so much strength, courage and dignity. She rightly calls for a world where all children live in peace."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
"Nadia's appointment as a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador, provides a unique opportunity to urge others to join us in our fight against human trafficking. We know that Nadia's extraordinary commitment to the plight of trafficking victims will move people to take action against this scourge."
UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov
"Our freedom and our dignity are bound up with the fates of millions of victims of trafficking, such as Nadia, victims who possess tremendous dignity and courage. We ensure our freedom by fighting to give them their freedom."
H.E. Ambassador Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the U.S. to the UN
"Thousands of Yazidi women have been enslaved by a terrorist organization, IS, that is committing genocide. And yet no one is being held to account. I am honoured to represent Nadia in her courageous quest for legal accountability."
Amal Clooney
, international human rights barrister and attorney for Nadia Murad
For more information, please contact:
Simone Monasebian
UNODC New York
T: +1-917-294-5762
E: monasebian[at]un.org
For Media Accreditation:
Get media accreditation
here
Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit
United Nations - S-250 New York, NY 10017
Tel: +1-212-963-1504, Fax: +1-212-963-4642, email: malu[at]un.org
