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Fri. 9:19 a.m.: Nobel Peace Prize awards efforts to end sex violence in war

FILE - The combo of file photos shows Doctor Denis Mukwege, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, left, on Nov. 26, 2014 and Yazidi woman from Iraq, Nadia Murad on Dec. 13, 2016 as they both address the European parliament in Strasbourg, France. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded today to the Congolese doctor and a Yazidi former captive of the Islamic State group for their work to highlight and eliminate the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. (AP Photos/Christian Lutz, file)

OSLO, Norway (AP) — The Nobel Peace Prize 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.”

The winners were named today by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Congolese doctor Mukwege has been a critic of the Congolese government and has treated victims of sexual violence. Murad is a Yazidi who was a captive of the Islamic State group.

Mukwege said today he really doesn’t have time to chat but he described the moment that he heard the news as “touching.”

The doctor who treats rape victims in the central African nation that was been wracked for decades by conflict says he was nearing the end of his second operation of the day when he heard people crying.

Mukwege says “I can see in the faces of many women how they are happy to be recognized … this is really so touching.”

Iraq’s newly elected President Barham Saleh said that honoring Murad is an international recognition of the “catastrophe” that Yazidis were subject to by Islamic State militants. Murad was captured by IS militants at 19 and raped, beaten and tortured daily before escaping and becoming an international spokeswoman for victims.

State TV quoted Saleh, who was elected by parliament earlier this week, as saying the award also recognizes all victims of “terrorism” in Iraq. State TV says Murad is the first Iraqi to win any Nobel prize.

A U.N. spokeswoman said that the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Mukwege and Murad is a “fantastic announcement.”

Alessandra Velluci told reporters in Geneva that “this is a cause that is very close to the United Nations and as you know we have a special representative who is also working towards this, and I’m sure that this Nobel peace prize will help advance the cause of ending sexual violence as a weapon of conflict.”

Murad is the U.N.’s Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee received nominations for 216 individuals and 115 organizations.

Last year’s winner was the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

The 2018 prize is worth 9 million Swedish kronor ($1.01 million).

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