Thread by @antoguerrera

I have interviewed Nadia Murad @NadiaMuradBasee, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, on the tragedy of mass rapes in #Ukraine. She told me interesting things. Like, if we want to stop this appalling weapon of war against women, we also must change ourselves.
repubblica.it/cultura/2022/0…

1. @NadiaMuradBasee: "What is happening in Ukraine is appalling, but, unfortunately, not new. Women and girls in conflicts all over the world are subjected to sexual violence, just as Yazidis were. Women and girls will continue to be used as "weapons" of war until..."

2. "...the international community takes concrete, tangible action to address and prevent sexual violence in conflict. In the case of Ukraine, action can be taken right now to prevent any more Ukrainian women from enduring such horrific violence."

3. Murad: "Like ISIS, the #Russian military understands that women are an essential part of the fabric of any community. That is why rape is used as a tactic of war and genocide to destroy communities from within. And it is women who suffer the most from this horrific violence".

4. Nadia's message to #Ukrainian women: "You are not alone. You will not be forgotten. There are survivors and allies all over the world who will fight for you. Unfortunately, we still live in a patriarchal world where women do not enjoy equal rights. This is one of the many..."

5. "...reasons why sexual violence in conflict is still not taken seriously. It is seen as a byproduct of war and conflict. I am here to tell you that what happened to you is not a byproduct. It is a violation of your human rights. And I will continue to fight for justice". 🇺🇦🇮🇶

6. @NadiaMuradBasee: "We live in a patriarchal world in which most laws - national and international - were written by men. The result is that the laws reflect inherent biases against women. This is why sexual violence was only recently recognized as a war crime, torture, or..."

7. "...genocide. Sexual violence has never been recognized as a crime in its own right. It has always been tied to the crime of shame and stigma it puts on women. We need to address this very serious crime with the full weight of the law. We need to prosecute sexual violence..."

8. "...as we would any other grave violation of human rights. Until we begin to do this on a global scale, impunity for crimes of sexual violence will continue."
@NadiaMuradBasee #ukraine #rapes

9. @NadiaMuradBasee: "We stop sexual violence by trying and convicting perpetrators for their crimes in a court of law. It's vitally important for survivors to receive justice and accountability. And accountability acts as a form of deterrence and prevention. But..."

10. "...equally as important, we need to address the root causes of sexual and gender-based violence in our schools, homes, and workplaces. We need to dismantle toxic masculinity and toxic femininity. We need to teach boys that girls are..."

11. "...their equals and that they have every right to take up space and make their voices heard. Because, at the end of the day, sexual violence is rooted in gender inequality."

12. @NadiaMuradBasee: "We are finally taking women's rights seriously, but these rights are still not guaranteed in most parts of the world. Women will never be fully protected unless they enjoy equal rights under law and are viewed as..."

13. "...equal in society by their male peers, with equitable access to opportunities. We cannot stop talking about this issue until real change is implemented on a global scale."
#Ukraine #RussianWarCrimes

14. @NadiaMuradBasee on Yazidi community 8 years after ISIS' mass rapes and brutality: "Nearly eight years after the genocide began, my community is still suffering its effects. Today, nearly 200,000 Yazidis are still internally displaced in camps where they face..."

15. "...high rates of suicide, sexual violence, and child marriage. The 150,000 Yazidis who have returned to their ancestral homeland in Sinjar, Iraq are struggling with access to basic services like clean water, healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities. Nearly..."

16. "...2,800 Yazidi women and children are still missing or in captivity. Through my organization, Nadia's Initiative, we are trying to rebuild as much of Sinjar as we can to facilitate the sustainable redevelopment of the Yazidi community and..."

17. "...enable the safe return home of those still displaced. But much work remains and we cannot do it on our own. We need others to focus on investing in Sinjar and rescuing those still missing."
@NadiaMuradBasee #Ukraine #yazidi #women #rapes

ENDS