Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Distinguished Presidential Fellow in Peace Studies Nadia Murad spoke about her pathway to and experiences as a global advocate for the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence, survivor-centric recovery efforts, and the pursuit of gender equality at Chapman University in Spring 2024. After surviving the Islamic State's (ISIS) attempt to eradicate the Yazidi people of Iraq, Murad has dedicated her life to assisting fellow survivors of violence worldwide, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and restoring both her homeland of Sinjar and other communities destroyed by conflict.
Murad is the first United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking and was named "Woman of the Year" by Glamour Magazine. Her best-selling memoir, The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State, is a harrowing account of her imprisonment, escape, and the beginning of her advocacy. As founder and president of Nadia's Initiative, she globally advocates for survivors of sexual violence and engages in sustainable development with communities in crisis.
During Ms. Murad's 2024 visit, she participated on a panel discussion and screening of three short documentary films created by Chapman undergrads under Peace & Justice Studies' Chair Dr. Leitz and Professor Fugate a documentarian within Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. The films cover Nadia herself; media stereotypes of Middle Eastern women, particularly as this affected coverage of Yazidi women; and a new international code of conduct for international workers working with survivors of sexual assault during conflict.
She also attended class visits and met with various campus groups. What started in 2022 (and will continue through 2027), Ms. Murad will be here for a one-week-long event series on campus per year.
