UNODC appoints Nadia Murad as its first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.
On 16 September 2016, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) appointed Nadia Murad as its first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. This was the first time UNODC created a goodwill ambassadorship specifically focused on survivors of human trafficking, and Murad became the inaugural holder of the role.
The appointment ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York formalized her transition from survivor‑witness to institutional advocate within the UN system. As Goodwill Ambassador, Murad was tasked with raising awareness about human trafficking, especially as it affected Yazidi women and girls enslaved by ISIS, and with advocating for stronger legal frameworks and survivor‑centered support mechanisms.
This was historically significant for several reasons. First, it recognized survivors as essential leaders in shaping anti‑trafficking policy, challenging older models in which survivors were primarily seen as passive victims rather than expert advocates. Second, it brought focused international attention to the intersection of genocide, sexual violence, and trafficking in conflict zones. Murad used the platform to press governments to recognize ISIS’s crimes as genocide, to document sexual enslavement as a core element of that crime, and to invest in reconstruction of Yazidi areas.
Her appointment also confronted stigma within her own community by publicly honoring a woman who spoke openly about sexual assault, thereby helping to shift cultural narratives around honor, shame, and justice for survivors.