The Nobel Peace Prize for 2018 has been awarded to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict. Both laureates have made a crucial contribution to focusing attention on, and combating, war crimes.


Denis Mukwege is a doctor who has devoted his life to defending these victims. Nadia Murad is the witness who tells of the abuses perpetrated against herself and others. Each of them in their own way has helped to give greater visibility to war-time sexual violence, so that the perpetrators can be held accountable for their actions.


The Nobel committee has not been able to contact either Mukwege or Murad on the telephone to inform them that they have won.


The committee says the Congolese doctor, Denis Mukwege has been the foremost, most unifying symbol both nationally and internationally of the struggle to end sexual violence in war and armed conflict.


Nadia Murad, a member of the Yazidi minority in Iraq, was captured by Isis and repeatedly raped and subjected to other abuses. The committee says she showed uncommon courage in recounted her own suffering.