TIME names Nadia Murad a Woman of the Year for her work protecting survivors and advancing accountability for genocide.
On 2 March 2022, TIME named Nadia Murad as one of its Women of the Year, recognizing her mission to protect survivors of sexual violence and to push for accountability mechanisms for genocide. The profile highlighted her work with Nadia’s Initiative and her efforts to rebuild Sinjar and support survivors’ long‑term recovery.
Being included in TIME’s Women of the Year list placed Murad among a select group of contemporary global leaders across politics, culture, science, and activism. The recognition emphasized her role in shifting international discourse around sexual violence in conflict—from viewing it as an inevitable byproduct of war to treating it as a preventable crime that demands legal redress and survivor‑centered policy.
This honor was significant because it framed Murad’s activism as not only a response to past atrocities but also as a forward‑looking project aimed at building institutions and norms that can prevent future genocides and protect vulnerable minorities. For women’s history, the inclusion underscored the centrality of survivor‑led movements in defining twenty‑first‑century feminism and human rights, particularly in relation to conflict, displacement, and transitional justice.