Congolese physician Denis Mukwege and Yazidi human rights activist and survivor of sexual slavery by ISIL Nadia Murad win 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
ADVERTISEMENTCongolese physician Denis Mukwege and Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict".
The Congolese doctor has spent a long time helping victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, treating "thousands of patients who have fallen victims to such assaults," tweeted the Nobel Prize.
"Mukwege has repeatedly condemned impunity for mass rape and criticised the Congolese government and other countries for not doing enough to stop the use of sexual violence against women as a strategy and weapon of war."
Murad, who is a survivor of sexual slavery by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, "has shown uncommon courage in recounting her own sufferings and speaking up on behalf of other victims," said Berit Reiss-Andersen, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in a live announcement.
The committee received more than 200 nominations for individuals and 115 organisations.
Among the nominees this year were the Syrian civilian aid group White Helmets, Russia’s Novaya Gazeta newspaper, Edward Snowden and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
The laureates will receive the prize in Oslo on December 10, the day of the death of the Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, who founded the awards in his 1895.
Last year's winner was the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.