Iraqi woman who escaped Daesh slavery become UN ambassador

A Young Iraqi Izadi woman, who survived sex slavery at the hands of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, has become the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.

According to Press TV, the horrific story of the 23-year-old Nadia Murad Basee Taha began on August 3, 2014, when Takfiris raided her home village of Kocho, near the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, killing hundreds of men, including six of Nadia’s brothers, and captured her along with dozens of other women of the village.

She was then taken to Mosul, Daesh's de facto capital on Iraqi soil, and was subjected to gang rape and repeatedly traded as a sex slave by the terrorists until her escape in November the same year.

After escaping Daesh captivity, Nadia went to Stuttgart, Germany, where she received medical care for her wounds. Then she traveled to the United States to become an activist to raise consciousness in particular about the gruesome crimes committed by the Takfiris against Izadi women, and to advocate ending human trafficking.

In January, the Iraqi government nominated Nadia for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism, and on Friday, she was formally appointed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.

“This designation marks the first time a survivor of atrocities is bestowed with this distinction. Ms. Murad, a 23-year-old Izadi woman, briefed the Security Council in its first-ever session on human trafficking last December,” said UN in a statement.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also said in the induction ceremony in New York that he recognized Nadia to serve as a voice for the voiceless.

“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,” Ban added.

UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov, for his part, also said “Nadia's appointment as a UNODC 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.”

ME