The NI Women’s Center is the first of its kind in the region – a transformative space dedicated to empowering women and girls, including survivors of genocide and conflict-related sexual violence. It’s more than just a building – it’s a safe haven where women can heal, learn, and reclaim their futures.
Because when women thrive, entire communities thrive.
Read More“On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women who have fought for change, often at great personal risk. Women who have broken barriers, challenged stereotypes, and paved the way for future generations. But we must also remember the women whose stories go untold—the women in rural villages, refugee camps, and war zones who fight for survival and dignity every single day.”
Read MoreThis International Women’s Day, we honor the resilience, strength, and leadership of Yazidi women. For years, Nadia’s Initiative has worked to empower women to rebuild and reclaim their futures – and today, they are leading businesses, managing projects, and shaping their communities. Their courage in the face of adversity has not only transformed their own lives but has also inspired global action. Their determination reminds us that true progress is only possible when women have the resources and opportunities to lead.
Read MoreIn Sinjar, girls and young women face significant barriers to leadership, physical activity, and access to safe spaces. Over the past year, Nadia’s Initiative has partnered with Free to Run to change that—empowering 300 adolescent girls and young women through running, leadership, and life skills. Using the NI Women’s Center as a key venue, the program created a safe environment for growth and connection, where participants built resilience, developed confidence, and redefined their futures.
Read MoreTomorrow, February 22, 2025, the remains of 32 victims of the 2014 Yazidi genocide will be handed over to their families. This day marks the painful return of lives lost simply for being Yazidis. The perpetrators aimed to erase the Yazidi identity, and this moment represents over a decade of suffering for their families, many of whom still do not know the fate of their loved ones.
Read MoreTo support families of genocide victims and the broader community, Nadia’s Initiative (NI) organized a consultative session at the NI Women’s Center, bringing together government representatives from four key directorates responsible for victims’ affairs.
Beyond providing holistic support to women and girls in the region, the Women’s Center serves as a key venue where the community can access essential resources and gain insight into pressing issues affecting their daily lives.
Read MoreToday, a team from the Iraqi Directorate of Mass Graves Affairs began the critical work of exhuming mass graves of Yazidi genocide victims in Sinjar City. This essential step is critical to uncovering the fate of innocent individuals who suffered and died as a result of some of the most heinous crimes against humanity in recent memory.
We stand in solidarity with the families who are desperately seeking answers–answers that will bring them peace of mind and restore the dignity of their loved ones.
Read MoreOn behalf of the Yazidi community and the victims of the genocide perpetrated against our people in 2014 by the terrorist organization ISIS, the Yazidi resistance that fought against this organization in Mount Sinjar, Yazidi political parties, civil society organizations, and all segments of the community, we express our strong rejection and condemnation of the Second Amendment to the General Amnesty Law No. (27) of 2016. This amendment, approved by the Iraqi Parliament on January 21, 2025, includes provisions that allow perpetrators of the most heinous crimes committed by ISIS against humanity, including the genocide targeting our Yazidi people in Sinjar and other areas, to escape justice.
Read MoreNadia’s Initiative is proud to share that our founder and President, Nadia Murad, recently received the 2025 “Beloved Community Coretta Scott King Soul of the Nation” Award. In receiving this award, Nadia stands alongside extraordinary women who have answered Mrs. Coretta Scott King’s enduring call to action: ‘Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.’”
Read MoreAbid Shamdeen, NI’s co-founder and strategic advisor, recently wrote an article for the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), highlighting the pervasive issue of human trafficking and emphasizing the importance of resilience and collaboration in combatting the global crisis.
Read MoreWatch to learn more about NI’s programs in 2024, which focused on empowering women and girls, promoting justice for survivors, and rebuilding the Yazidi homeland in Sinjar, Iraq.
Read MoreWatch to learn more about NI’s global advocacy on behalf of survivors in 2024, led by Nadia Murad.
Read MoreNadia’s Initiative is proud to share that Nadia has been named one of BBC’s 100 Women for 2024, a list celebrating inspiring women who have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of global challenges. This year’s list puts a spotlight on women around the world who are driving change in the face of deadly conflicts and humanitarian crises, polarizing societal shifts, and the global climate crisis.
Read More“I felt a sense of belonging and safety at the NI Women’s Center.”
Read the story of Naveen, a survivor and recent graduate of the salon training program implemented at the new Women’s Center in Sinjar.
Read MoreNadia recently met with Norway's Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, to discuss Norway's role, alongside other allies, in supporting the fight to end conflict-related sexual violence, ensuring accountability for perpetrators, and increased support for survivors.
Read MoreOne year ago today, the Yazidi Genocide Memorial was inaugurated in Sinjar, Iraq. The memorial is a monument to those who suffered and died at the hands of ISIS, a place of remembrance and healing, and a tribute to the resilience of those who survived the genocide. Since its opening, the memorial has welcomed dozens of daily visitors, including official delegations, diplomats, government officials, and victims’ families. Thousands of Yazidis have gathered there for ceremonies, burials, and genocide commemorations.
Read MoreNadia recently joined her longtime friend Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF) and a group of influential women leaders, including Oprah Winfrey, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the DVF Awards. As a past honoree of the International DVF Award, Nadia's contributions were recognized, and her story and work were featured at the event.
Read MoreEarlier this month, Nadia’s Initiative celebrated a significant milestone at the Women’s Center in Sinjar, hosting a graduation for the inaugural class of participants from the “Women’s Empowerment Through Education and Vocational Training” project. More than 120 women and girls successfully completed various courses at the Center, which opened earlier this year.
Read MoreNadia Murad and Sheryl Sandberg's TIME Op-Ed: After more than a decade in captivity, Fawzia Amin Sido was rescued from Gaza, returned to Iraq, and reunited with her family on Oct. 2. Fawzia’s freedom is a reminder that thousands of women and children remain in captivity. The international community has failed, time and again, to bring them home and to hold everyone who contributed to these crimes against humanity accountable.
Read MoreHow can we best address the needs of the survivors of genocide? What does community-driven, sustainable rebuilding look like? In an episode of Conversations on Genocide, Elia speaks with Abid Shamdeen, the co-founder of Nadia's Initiative. Mr. Shamdeen shares his story, as well as provide insight into Nadia's Initiative's philosophy and impact in the Sinjar region.
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