I warmly congratulate Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege on the richly deserved Nobel Peace Prize.

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize sends an important message that we are responsible for protecting women, for defending justice and prosecution, and for preventing and prosecuting rape as a weapon of war. Based on this conviction, the topic of women, peace and security will be one of the priorities of our membership of the United Nations Security Council.

Germany has supported both prizewinners for years in their important work.

Professor Denis Mukwege, a doctor and human rights activist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has worked for for decades to ensure that victims of rape in his country receive medical, legal, pyschosocial and socio-economic support. He has already received many awards for his personal untiring endeavours. The Nobel Peace Prize rightfully draws our attention once again to the topic of violence against women.

The awarding of the prize to Nadia Murad does not only pay tribute to an extraordinary women, who, motivated by her own experience, conducts a courageous campaign for freedom and dignity. Through her hard work, she has given many thousands of women and girls a voice and drawn attention to their experiences. However, today’s award also serves as a reminder. It applies to us all and reminds us of the fate of the women and girls who are still missing – the women and girls who were brutally abducted, abused or murdered by IS. After her terrible captivity, Nadia Murad found a new home in Land Baden-Württemberg, in south-west Germany. We are happy that Germany has been able to play a part in offering her and many other women and girls immediate protection and asylum.