One of the winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, Iraqi human rights activist Nadia Murad, is pledging to donate her entire $500,000 award to victims of sex crimes. 
 
 Murad, who was abducted by Islamic State militants when she was 19 years old, said in her acceptance speech that she is committing "100 percent of the money" to her organization, Nadia's Initiative, which establishes programming to help women and minorities in Iraq. 
 
 Murad often speaks out against minority persecution as a member of the Yazidi minority in Iraq, which was targeted by the Islamic State. 
 
 Nobel Peace Prize-winner Nadia Murad was awarded half a million dollars. She's pledged to give away every cent to fight sex crimes. pic.twitter.com/pyCNZgXBh2 — BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) October 11, 2018 
 
 She said in her statement that she dedicates her award to "Yazidis, Iraqis, Kurds, other persecuted minorities and all of the countless victims of sexual violence around the world.” 
 
 “I think of my mother, who was murdered by [ISIS], the children with whom I grew up, and what we must do to honor them," she wrote. "Persecution of minorities must end.” 
 
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 Murad shared the award with Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecological surgeon who treats victims of sexual crimes. ||||| This morning the Nobel Committee informed me that I was selected as a co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. I am incredibly honored and humbled by their support and I share this award with Yazidis, Iraqis, Kurds, other persecuted minorities and all of the countless victims of sexual violence around the world. 
 
 As a survivor, I am grateful for this opportunity to draw international attention to the plight of the Yazidi people who have suffered unimaginable crimes since the genocide by Daesh, which began in 2014. Many Yazidis will look upon this prize and think of family members that were lost, are still unaccounted for, and of the 3000 women and children, which remain in captivity. Like many minority groups, the Yazidis, have carried the weight of historical persecution. Women in particular have suffered greatly as they have been, and continue to be the victims of sexual violence. 
 
 For myself, I think of my mother, who was murdered by DAESH, the children with whom I grew up, and what we must do to honor them. Persecution of minorities must end. We must work together with determination – to prove that genocidal campaigns will not only fail, but lead to accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the survivors. 
 
 We must remain committed to rebuilding communities ravaged by genocide. Survivors deserve a safe and secure pathway home or safe passage elsewhere. We must support efforts to focus on humanity, and overcome political and cultural divisions. We must not only imagine a better future for women, children and persecuted minorities, we must work consistently to make it happen - prioritizing humanity, not war. 
 
 Congratulations to my co-recipient, Dr. Mukwege, a man I admire greatly who has dedicated his life to helping women of sexual violence. 
 
 Thank you to the Nobel Committee for this honor. 
 
 
 
 Ms. Nadia Murad 
 
 Nobel Peace Laureate & UNODC Goodwill Ambassador
– If any Nobel Prize winners strive for the award solely for the money, Nadia Murad isn't among them. The Hill reports the 25-year-old Yazidi human rights activist, who shared this year's Peace Prize with Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege, will be giving her $500,000 portion of the Nobel cash to her Nadia's Initiative organization, which helps Iraqi women and minorities. "I commit 100% of the money, at least my share, to the goals and work we are currently doing, and that we will do in the future," the 25-year-old said at a presser. "Persecution of minorities must end," Murad said in a statement last week after hearing she'd won the prize, citing the murder at the hands of ISIS of her own mother. Murad stressed at the press conference that though she hopes her donation will help fight sexual violence around the world, more still needs to be done. "A single prize and a single person cannot accomplish these goals," she said. "We need an international effort."