Because justice has been slow—ISIS fighters prosecuted for terrorism, but rarely specifically for genocide or sexual slavery. Nadia’s voice keeps the world from remembering. Her testimony has been used in legal proceedings against ISIS members. Her advocacy has pushed for laws recognizing sexual violence in conflict as a crime against humanity.
Through Nadia’s Initiative, schools, water systems, and clinics have been rebuilt, allowing some Yazidis to return home. But perhaps most importantly, she has given permission to other survivors to speak. After Nadia testified, other Yazidi women began sharing their stories.
Survivors of sexual violence in other conflicts—Congo, Bosnia, Myanmar—have cited her as inspiration. She showed that speaking truth about atrocity, even when that truth is painful and personal, can create change. ‘I didn’t want to be a symbol,’ Nadia has said. ‘I wanted to be back home with my family. But that’s not possible anymore. So I decided to use my voice for those who cannot speak.’
Her courage doesn’t erase her pain. She still carries trauma. She still grieves her family. She still bears the scars of what ISIS did to her. But she has transformed that pain into advocacy. That grief into determination. Those scars into evidence that demands accountability.
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