August 2024 marks 10 years since the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) committed genocide against the Yezidi population in Iraq. The terrorist group killed and abducted thousands of Yezidis, subjecting them to sexual slavery, torture, and labour, and hundreds of thousands were forcibly displaced. Today, the Yezidi homeland has still not been rebuilt. Many are unable to, or do not want to, return home. Thousands are still missing, and two-thirds of the population remain displaced.
This Briefing Note explores feelings of marginalisation and stigmatisation experienced by many Yezidis. It offers recommendations to rebuild trust and develop effective reconciliation initiatives to support the Yezidi population in Iraq.
Key Findings:
- Cross-generational memories, ranging from systemic repression to recent betrayals, significantly shape the Yezidis’ mistrust and scepticism about the effectiveness of peace and reconciliation interventions.
- Yezidis in Iraq continue to grapple with enduring and systemic discrimination, repression, hate speech, stereotyping, and exclusion that predates IS oppression.
- The perceived betrayal of the Yezidis by trusted neighbours and friends within Sunni Arab communities has heightened their feelings of insecurity and alienation, against a backdrop of already low expectations concerning the law and the state’s commitment to their well-being.