For minorities

and survivors

of atrocity crimes

For minorities and survivors of atrocity crimes

Yazda is a global community-led institution that protects and champions all religious and ethnic minority communities, including Assyrians, Chaldeans, Kakais, Shabaks, Yazidis, and others in Iraq, Kurdistan Region, and Syria.


Founded in 2014 at the onset of the genocide perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) or Da'esh, against the Yazidis, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity against other minorities, Yazda leads advocacy and strategic projects in Dohuk, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains (Iraq), as well as global diaspora hubs.

Yazidi Genocide

1,268

murdered

on the first day of attacks in Sinjar

2,763

orphans

as a result of the genocide

6,417

women & girls
forced into sexual slavery and labour

400,000

displaced

living in camps in Iraq and Syria

200,000 displaced

living in camps in Iraq and Syria

1,268 murdered

on the first day of attacks in Sinjar

68 cultural sites

of minorities in Iraq destroyed

2,760 women & girls

still missing

Latest Updates

by Saman Qaydar 14 Mar, 2024
The release of this crucial report follows the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution to extend the mandate of the Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL ( UNITAD ) only until September 2024 ( UNSC resolution 2697/2023 ). The report reflects the concerns and recommendations of Iraqi NGOs and survivors' networks. Yazda, a member of the Coalition for Just Reparations ( C4JR ), joined an alliance of Iraqi NGOs in calling for comprehensive reparations for survivors of atrocity crimes perpetrated during the ISIL conflict in Iraq. In September 2023, prior to the passing of resolution 2697 by the UNSC, Yazda led the publication of a statement endorsed by 50 organizations expressing concerns about the imminent closure of UNITAD. Subsequently, within C4JR, Yazda facilitated consultations with NGOs online and in person, ensuring that their feedback was communicated to the UN, particularly in preparation for the UN Secretary-General's report released in January 2024 on Iraq’s request to receive UNITAD’s evidence. In parallel, Yazda consulted survivors’ networks, including Hope Givers, Survivors Voice Network (SVN), Speicher-1700 NGO, and the Yazidi Survivors Networks (YSN), incorporating their perspectives into the report. Natia Navrouzov, Executive Director at Yazda and co-author of the report, comments: “The report, especially its concrete recommendations, is a testament to the deep knowledge of Iraqi civil society on issues of justice and the lack thereof in Iraq. Iraqi organizations are the experts and should not be ignored. We advocated for the creation of UNITAD but were not involved in its termination. To this day, we have not been presented with a clear strategy from Iraq and the international community regarding the fate and more importantly, the use, of the evidence collected by UNITAD and what comes next. While UNITAD’s completion roadmap, due on 15 March 2024, may provide some answers, we were not meaningfully consulted on it either. Moving forward, we want to be part of the conversation and of the solution.” For the Arabic version of the Press Release, click here . For any inquiries, please contact info@yazda.org ### 300 North 27th Street, Suite C. - Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, USA info@yazda.org - www.yazda.org
by Saman Qaydar 26 Feb, 2024
26 February 2024 Yazda is pleased to announce the appointment of Natia Navrouzov as its new Executive Director. Natia’s selection underscores Yazda’s enduring commitment to the communities affected by ISIS atrocities, placing them at the core of our mission. Her appointment also reaffirms Yazda’s dedication to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as Natia will bolster our gender-responsive planning and engagement efforts. Natia Navrouzov brings a wealth of experience as a French-qualified lawyer specializing in international law, human rights, and transitional justice. As a member of the Yazidi community, Natia has been instrumental in Yazda's initiatives since joining in 2018. She holds various positions within the organization, including Project Manager and Interim Country Director. In 2021, she was appointed as Yazda’s first Legal Advocacy Director. Under her leadership, Yazda collected testimonies of ISIS survivors and documented evidence from crime sites, and collaborated with international and national bodies, including the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability Against Da’esh Crimes (UNITAD), national war crimes units and the Office of Amal Clooney. Notably, her leadership played a key role in the conviction of several ISIS members in Germany, including for genocide against Yazidi victims. In 2019, Natia supported a group of Yazidi female advocates to establish the Yazidi Survivors Network (YSN) and campaigned with them for the passing of the Yazidi Survivors Law until its adoption in March 2021. Before joining Yazda, Natia worked for a globally recognized law firm specializing in International Public Law and International Arbitration in Paris, as a Research Assistant at the London Court of Arbitration, and Assistant Lecturer at the Université of Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris. Admitted to the Paris Bar, Natia holds a dual bachelor's degree in German and French Law from the University of Cologne (Germany) and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (France); she holds Master’s degrees in International Law from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Columbia University (USA), where she graduated as a Human Rights Fellow and Fulbright scholar, and was awarded the Davis Polk Fellowship. Natia is also an Obama Foundation Leader. Natia commented: “It is an honor for me to have been appointed as Yazda’s first female Executive Director. To me, Yazda is not just an organization but a beacon of hope for Yazidis and other minorities, who have endured countless persecutions over generations. With the help of my team and our various supporters, I am ready to take Yazda to the next level and strengthen our collaboration with Iraqi and international stakeholders, and, of course, with affected communities, especially survivors, who will remain at the center of our focus.” We also regretfully announce the departure of Haider Elias from Yazda. Haider was one of Yazda’s founders and served as its President for more than nine years. He will work with us to ensure a smooth transition until 31 March 2024, when he will move on to new challenges and opportunities. Yazda expresses profound thanks to Haider and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. With Natia leading the way, we are eager to embark on this new chapter and elevate our partnerships to unprecedented heights, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve. Sincerely, Yazda Board of Directors For any inquiries, please contact info@yazda.org For the Arabic version of the Press Release, click here . ### 300 North 27th Street, Suite C. - Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, USA info@yazda.org - www.yazda.org
by Saman Qaydar 22 Jan, 2024
22 January 2024 Ceremonies in Baghdad, Solagh and the three villages (Hardan, Kocho and Qney) On 22 January 2024, under the auspice of the Office of the Prime Minister and in the presence of Iraqi and international officials and Yazidi community members, a funeral will be held in Baghdad following the identification of 41 Yazidi victims from Hardan, Kocho and Qney. Following this national-wide ceremony, the remains of the victims will be taken to Sinjar where a local-led ceremony will be organized on 24 January 2024, at the recently inaugurated Yazidi Genocide Memorial in Solagh. During this ceremony, Yazidi religious rituals will be performed. The remains of the victims will be then handed over to their families to allow them to bury them in their respective villages of Hardan, Kocho and Qney. From 24 to 26 January 2024, mourning days will be observed in these three villages and members of the community will be able to visit and pay their respects. The return of the sixth batch of remains and ongoing exhumations The identification of the remains was carried out by the Iraqi Medico-Legal Department (MLD) of Iraqi Ministry of Health, with the assistance of the UN Investigative Team for Accountability of Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). The UN-supported exhumation process in Sinjar started in March 2019 and is ongoing. So far, around 60 mass graves have been exhumed and around 20 still need to be opened. The mass graves in Kocho and Solagh were the first ones to be exhumed from March 2019, followed by Hardan in February 2022 and Qney in June 2022 . This is believed to be the sixth batch of remains of Yazidi victims to be returned to Sinjar and a total of 41 victims were identified. Previously, remains have been returned mainly to Kocho and Solagh and the identification process is still ongoing. Support provided by Yazda and partners As for previous ceremonies, Yazda and other organizations will accompany Yazidi community members during this extremely sensitive time. Yazda has been coordinating the process over the past months with the national authorities and members of the community as well as partners from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNITAD and Nadia’s Initiative which will be present to provide support during the ceremonies. From its side, Yazda will deploy different teams to the burial sites. Yazda’s Case Managers will be present to provide psychological support and Yazda’s Mobile Medical Unit will provide medical assistance to the community where needed. Yazda’s Documentation Team will film the official speeches, report on the ceremonies and interview the authorities and partners, including members of the MLD and representatives of UNITAD and ICMP. The community will be invited to provide feedback on the process and report any concerns. Yazda’s Investigation Coordinator and focal point for the event, Ismail Qasim comments: “We have been supporting the process of exhumations over the past 5 years at least and it is far from being done. The crime scenes left by ISIL are countless and necessite joint efforts from all stakeholders involved, including internationals. Therefore, it is crucial that Iraq continues its collaboration with entities such as UNITAD to support the affected communities to recover the remains and bury them in a dignified way." Yazda presents its condolences to all the affected families as well as the wider Yazidi community and reiterates its commitment to work tirelessly in the pursuit of justice and the truth. For the Arabic version of the Press Release, click here .
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