Out of the 331 individuals and organizations, ISIS survivor Nadia Murad and Congolese gynecological surgeon Dr. Denis Mukwege won the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the jury, the two have been selected:

“for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.”

Nadia Murad is one of the survivors of the mass atrocities committed by the ISIS army. Murad recalls that she, along with up to 3,000 other girls, were raped and abused by the ISIS army. She was abducted by ISIS back in 2014 for a period of three years. Murad later became a human rights activist openly speaking against the rape culture in wars. Her relentless struggle took her to the United States House of Representatives and Britain’s House of Commons, where she courageously put forward her cause. She later became the embodiment of an anti-rape narrative that was lauded by the entire global community. New York Times reported, she said:

”I will go back to my life when women in captivity go back to their lives, when my community has a place, when I see people accountable for their crimes.”

She later became acquainted with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney to continue her fight for justice. Dr. Denis Mukwege is a Congolese gynecological surgeon who did not care for his own life when defending a crime as heinous as rape in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Being solely committed to his duties, Dr. Mukwege would perform surgeries on women who barely made it to the hospital beds after surviving sexual violence. Regardless of how critical their condition might be, Dr. Mukwege never refused to treat any woman. His family has been threatened and made to flee out of Congo, but his utmost dedication towards the cause brought him back. He explained:

”I was inspired to return by the determination of Congolese women to fight these atrocities. These women have taken the courage to protest about my attack to the authorities. They even grouped together to pay for my ticket home – these are women who do not have anything, they live on less than a dollar a day”.

Both the anti-rape activists risked their lives and never for a moment stumbled upon their cause. The struggle of the both may be countries-apart, but it is the cause behind it that really connects the two; against rape as a weapon of war. It isn’t the first time Murad’s struggle has been recognized. On her countless efforts for getting the United States department to declare what happened to her and her fellow Yazidi girls as genocide, she became the United States’ first ambassador of goodwill for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. Dr.Mukwege and his colleagues have been equally appreciated for rendering their services in the most difficult times. All in all, we are extremely proud that the anti-rape activist duo is being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Many congratulations to Ms. Nadia Murad and Dr. Denis Mukwege on their win. Team TechEngage is rooting for the two!