International human rights attorney Amal Clooney became a household name after marrying some actor named George. But to Nadia Murad, Clooney is the woman helping her fight for her family, her homeland and her way of life. In the February/March issue of 1843, the lifestyle magazine from The Economist, Clooney and Murad, a Yazidi refugee of the Islamic State, open up about their work fighting ISIS's genocide of the Yazidi people.

Murad was taken from her home of Kocho at the age of 21, pressured to convert to Islam, imprisoned and raped. Remarkably, she found freedom in Germany, where she currently lives. As her attorney, Clooney does everything from gathering evidence and creating a legal strategy to making sure the case stays relevant and remains in the news.

On September 22, 2016, Murad and Clooney addressed the United Nations together. As Nadia drew tears with her story, Clooney delivered a powerful message reminding the UN members that not only was the genocide currently underway with slavery still intact, but no members of the Islamic State had been prosecuted for their crimes against the Yazidis.

youtubeView full post on Youtube

"This is…the first time I have had a chance to address an audience in front of the UN secretary-general," Clooney said in her speech. "I wish I could say that I was proud to be here. But I am not. I am ashamed, as a supporter of the UN, that states are failing to prevent or even punish genocide, because they find that their own interests get in the way," she continued. "I am ashamed, as a lawyer, that there is no justice being done and barely a complaint being made about it. I am ashamed, as a woman, that girls like Nadia can have their bodies sold and used as battlefields. I am ashamed as a human being that we ignore their cries for help."

Some people get distracted by Clooney's link to Hollywood, but she should not be underestimated, the article's author, Robert Guest, writes. Clooney was putting herself in danger in order to do her job long before she met her husband. Though she may been seen as a celebrity now, the 39-year-old uses her platform for to make sure cases such as Murad's gain necessary coverage in the media.

Though Murad's case could take years, Clooney vows not to give up and hopes the mounting pressure on the UN will result in the prosecution of the Islamic State. As she told 1843, "Every single one of them must be brought to justice." Read the full article here.

From: Harper's BAZAAR US