Erbil – August 3, 2025: Today marks the 11th anniversary of the genocide committed by ISIL against Yazidis and other minority groups in Iraq. A day to mourn, honor the victims, and elevate the voices of survivors—and a reminder that the rights, needs, and aspirations of those impacted by this cataclysmic event should shape the path forward.
Last year, the Coalition for Just Reparations (C4JR) launched its commemorative report, ‘10 Demands, 10 Years After the Genocide by ISIL‘ – a survivor-led roadmap to addressing the most urgent and enduring challenges faced by affected communities a decade after the genocide. This year, we encourage local and international stakeholders to revisit those demands, assess what has changed, and acknowledge the work that remains.
The Yazidi Survivors’ Law (YSL) remains one of the most meaningful and comprehensive measures enacted to date in response to the genocide, and important strides have been made in its implementation. Key achievements include the establishment of remote testimony options for diaspora survivors, an increase in the number of registered beneficiaries, the issuance of medical cards to those approved for benefits, and growing educational and vocational training opportunities, as well as small-business support, for survivors.
Nationally and internationally, the quest for justice has also advanced. European courts–including Germany and France–have prosecuted ISIL members for genocide and crimes against humanity, and the Swiss Parliament has recognized the atrocities committed by ISIL against the Yezidi community as genocide. Within Iraq, the establishment of a National Center for International Judicial Cooperation demonstrates a commitment to preserving evidence and supporting cross-border accountability efforts in the wake of UNITAD’s closure.
Notable progress has also been made in efforts to locate the missing and exhume mass graves. In 2025, Iraqi authorities launched a nationwide digital campaign to gather information on missing persons. This was accompanied by the establishment of a high-level committee within the General Directorate for Survivors’ Affairs – led by the Prime Minister’s Human Rights Advisor – to coordinate efforts to uncover the fate of abductees. In February, the remains of 32 Yazidi genocide victims were identified in Baghdad and returned to Sinjar for a formal burial, and an additional 22 victims are expected to be laid to rest in a ceremony in August. Several survivors have also been located and liberated over the past 12 months.
These accomplishments represent significant progress toward the satisfaction of survivor demands–but more must be done. Recent reunifications, more than a decade after the genocide, underscore the urgency of finding and freeing survivors. Tens of thousands continue to live in protracted displacement, with fewer humanitarian resources available to address their profound needs and the enduring impact of ISIL crimes. Most cannot safely return to Sinjar, where basic services are lacking, and communities continue to face insecurity and political fragmentation without a clear roadmap for reconstruction and recovery. And, while the YSL continues to provide a beacon of hope and the promise of a better life for many who survived ISIS atrocities, challenges in access and implementation persist. Some survivors have not been able to access the reparations program due to their lack of civil documentation or inability to meet the burdensome evidentiary requirements. Others have faced considerable process delays. Those who have been approved for benefits may still grapple with an underfunded healthcare sector, limited livelihood opportunities, and viable housing, land, and property solutions that have yet to materialize.
Worryingly, the past year has also been fraught with signs of serious regression–including a hate speech campaign targeting Yazidis which surfaced shortly after the tenth anniversary, spreading incitement and open threats of violence. The growing threat of regional instability and radical influence across the Syrian border has also heightened concerns among survivors and minority communities about the risk of renewed violence.
The progress made over the past year demonstrates what is possible when survivors are at the center of policy and practice. But that progress is fragile and subject to reversal without sustained commitment. As the mandates of international mechanisms wind down and donor attention shifts, there is a real risk that survivor needs will be sidelined once again.
On this anniversary, we reiterate our call for action grounded in the survivor-led roadmap laid out in the “10 Demands” report, available in English, Arabic, and Kurdish (Sorani). Eleven years on, survivors of ISIS are still waiting—for truth, for justice, for safety, and for the means to rebuild. We must not let another year pass without fulfilling those promises.
The NGOs below call for renewed attention to survivor demands, supported by sustained commitment and action until those needs and wishes are met.
- Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights
- SEED
- Yazda
- The Lotus Flower Ngo
- House of Coexistence
- Hawar.help
- Victims of Iraq in Speicher-1700 NGO
- Better World Organization
- Dak Organization
- Hope Givers
- Justice Organization for Minority Rights
- The Observer Human Rights Center
- The Iraqi Institution for Development
- Eyzidi Organization for Documentation
- Peace and Freedom Organization
- Kurdistan Center For International Law
- Yazidi Legal Network
Full statement in PDF: https://c4jr.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Joint-Statement-Yazidi-Genocide-English.pdf
