Nobel Peace Laureate Nadia Murad meets with government and UN representatives during visit to Iraq

During her recent trip to Iraq, Nobel Peace Laureate, UNODC Goodwill Ambassador, and Nadia’s Initiative president Nadia Murad met with several foreign dignitaries to discuss the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq.On Sunday March 17th, Murad met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to discuss a number of issues concerning Yazidis in Iraq and the possibility to find solutions that will enable them to return home. Murad stressed essential issues the Iraq government must work on to improve the Yazidi situation in the future – security, public services, reconstruction, compensation, and the fate of thousands of Yazidis who are still missing and in ISIS captivity. The Prime Minister emphasized that the Iraqi government will take the demands of the Yazidis into consideration and will work with other parties to find solutions to the issues faced by the Yazidi community in Iraq.Murad’s second visit was with Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mr. Mohamed Ali Alhakim, in Baghdad. The two discussed the situation of the Yazidis and Iraq in general, as well as future plans to improve the Yazidi situation after ISIS terrorists have been defeated. Mr. Alhakim welcomed Murad’s visit and acknowledged that “Yazidi women have been subjected to the worst crimes by ISIS,” emphasizing that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry is now working to implement Resolution 2379 of 2017 issued by the UN Security Council – to collect evidence of crimes committed by ISIS and to bring them to justice.Murad also visited with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN in Iraq, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. The two discussed the role of the UN in solving the many issues faced by Yazidis and other vulnerable communities in Iraq. Murad and Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert also discussed the UN's role in solving problems of security and local governance faced by Yazidis and other minorities in coordination with the Iraqi government. Ms.Hennis-Plasschaert emphasized that the UN is working with the Iraqi government to restore stability to Yazidi areas, provide humanitarian services, and contribute to reconstruction.Murad’s final visit was with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Mr. Nechirvan Barzani. Murad and Mr. Barzani discussed various issues concerning security and local governance in Sinjar, Iraq. Murad expressed her hope that there will be urgent solutions implemented to improve the security and administrative situations in Sinjar.In all four meetings, Nadia Murad highlighted the importance of continued coordination and cooperation between the Iraqi government, Kurdish regional government, UN, and Nadia’s Initiative. Nadia and her team hope to shed light on and prompt solutions to issues of security and local governance in Sinjar, Iraq, which will contribute to the process of reconstruction.