C4JR Informs the UN Committee Against Torture on the State of Implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law
The UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26 marks the moment in 1987 when the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the key universal instruments for fighting torture, came into effect. As of today, the Convention has 173 state parties. On May 13, 2022, the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT), a body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention, issued Concluding Observations for Iraq. CAT commended Iraq´s efforts to redress survivors of conflict-related and gender-based violence, but remained concerned at the information received on the reported slow progress in implementation of the Yazidi [Female] Survivors Law (YSL) and the current lack of funds allocated to that effect. The Committee requested from Iraq, in line with its formal follow-up procedure, to report back and indicate the measures taken to implement recommendations dealing with, inter alia, conflict-related sexual violence by May 13, 2023. To assist Iraqi authorities inreporting and strengthen collaborative relationship between survivors, CSO and state authorities, C4JR, together with the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights, IOM, UNAMI and General Directorate for Survivors Affairs organized a conference titled “Dialog on Reparative Justice: Ensuring Effective Reparations in Iraq” on June 26, 2022 in Erbil.
One year later, on the occasion of 2023 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, C4JR reiterates the importance of preventing, uncovering, sanctioning and redressing of all acts amounting to torture and other ill-treatment in line with international standards. Main tool for this is the reporting procedure established under the Convention, including swift and full implementation of CAT´s recommendations.
Regrettably, Iraq, to the best of our knowledge, had not reported back to CAT on recommendations prioritized in the assigned time period.
To mitigate such an unfortunate omission, C4JR publishes its follow up paper on state of implementation of the YSL which stands at the center of CAT´s recommendations concerning conflict-related sexual violence.
We hope that Iraqi authorities will resume communication with the CAT with a view of meeting its obligation to prevent, uncover, sanction and redress all acts of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
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