Receives International DVF Award

On 11 April 2019, Nadia Murad received the International DVF Award, presented by the Diller–von Furstenberg Family Foundation. The award honors women who demonstrate extraordinary courage in leadership and who use their influence to transform the lives of other women.

Murad was recognized for turning her experience of genocide and sexual enslavement under ISIS into a sustained campaign for justice and for the rights of survivors of conflict‑related sexual violence. The DVF Award linked her work to a broader global movement of women leaders in politics, activism, and grassroots organizing.

This recognition was important because it showcased Murad’s advocacy in a high‑profile setting that reaches fashion, media, and philanthropic audiences that might not routinely engage with human‑rights policy debates. By foregrounding a Yazidi survivor at an event built around celebrating women’s leadership, the award challenged stereotypes about who counts as a global leader and highlighted the centrality of survivor voices in contemporary feminism.

For women’s history, the award illustrates how survivor‑activists like Murad are increasingly recognized across sectors—not only by political and human‑rights institutions but also in cultural and philanthropic spaces—expanding the platforms from which they can advocate for systemic change.