The Special Rapporteur on violence against women welcomes the awarding of the Nobel Prize to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad

as global recognition of the need to intensify  efforts to fight gender-based violence against women

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Dubravka Simonovic, welcomes the awarding of the first Nobel Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee to Denis Mukwege, Congolese gynecologist, and Nadia Murad, Yazidi survivor of violence, for their personal and prominent role in fighting  gender-based violence, including sexual violence.

The Special Rapporteur takes this opportunity to thank Ms. Nadia Murad and Mr. Denis Mukwege for their enormous contribution to women’s rights, and their courage in exposing and fighting against the horrific and devastating impact that sexual violence has on women and girls.

This award is also a recognition of the need to support all activists worldwide, such as Ms. Murad and Mr. Mukwege, who have dedicated their lives to combating  violence against women, often putting their own lives at risk, and to strengthen efforts to fight gender-based violence against women.

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women reiterates the support of the mandate to all the women and men in their daily combat to prevent gender-based violence against women. She calls upon all governments and stakeholders to intensify efforts to prevent such violence.