Join us as we seek
Protection & Justice for Yazidi Genocide Survivors –
Speaking out for women facing
Sexual & Gender-Based Violence
On behalf of us all, we request that you hear our devastating silence.
In August 2014, ISIS targeted the Yazidi people in Sinjar, Iraq, killing over 5,000 men, enslaving more than 10,000 women and children, and displacing 400,000.
Ten years after the Yazidi Genocide, the majority of survivors continue to face devastating circumstances: stranded in indefinite displacement, living in squalid camps or exploited in hostile cities, denied justice and safety, with no possibility of returning home. Their suffering and insecurity is not historical, it is an ongoing crisis.
Without effective mechanisms for protection and justice: access to legal aid and resettlement, and able to hold perpetrators accountable, Yazidis are unable to rebuild their lives, their trauma compounded by the world’s indifference. The genocide against them never truly ended; it simply evolved into slower, quieter forms of violence, especially for women and girls.
We must act now. It is time to listen to their stories, defend their rights, demand justice, and advocate to ensure their safety, dignity, and freedom.
Ongoing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence:
The Systematic Sexual Exploitation of Yazidi Women and Girls
Yazidi women and girls are among those most severely affected by the ongoing consequences of the 2014 genocide, which was characterised by widespread sexual and gender-based violence. The systematic enslavement, rape, and dehumanisation inflicted upon thousands of women and girls has left profound and lasting trauma, with which many victim survivors are confronted every day. Both in Iraq, as well as in the transit countries where Yazidis remain displaced, there is still a significant lack of effective protection mechanisms, while most perpetrators have never faced consequences for their crimes. This lack of accountability fuels the ongoing exploitation of Yazidi women and girls and worsens its impact within the community.
Reports indicate repeated patterns of sexual exploitation by landlords, employers, officials, and other figures of authority—individuals who abuse their positions by preying on the precarious circumstances of Yazidi women. This exploitation is alarmingly systematic, as highlighted by these testimonies shared by survivors from a community receiving support from United Hands for Refugees (UHfR):
" I live at the mercy of my landlord. This man comes to my home whenever he wants and I am expected to quietly submit to all his physical wishes. In return he does not take money for the apartment, although sometimes he still asks for money for bills, and he does not fix anything that is broken in our home. I did not agree to this arrangement. I have no choice. He has threatened me that if I do not do as he wants, he will evict my family from the apartment and make sure that no one else accepts to take us
" I live at the mercy of the man who is the manager at the textiles factory where I am working. When he wants, he tells me I must go with him, and accept for him to do physically whatever he wants with me. He has threatened me that if I do not do what he says, then I will not be paid for my work and he will make sure I cannot work anywhere, but I must work and earn money to help support my family."
In at least one known case, this form of systematic exploitation resulted in the murder of a Yazidi woman 2021 — and still, no consequences were faced by those responsible. The gravity of the situation is captured in the words of another woman:
"From fear, I do not, I cannot speak. I cannot tell you directly what I am facing, because the consequences of speaking out are too great and too real ."
Many women and girls feel unable to resist or speak openly about their experiences. After years of persecution and oppression, they have learned that speaking out does not help to keep them safe. The systems that should provide protection and justice have repeatedly failed them, instead they continue to live in constant insecurity.
On behalf of us all, we request that you hear our devastating silence.
What we Do
Founded in 2020 to support displaced and marginalised communities, United Hands for Refugees (UHfR) is a German-registered, volunteer-led humanitarian NGO. A key focus of our work is supporting Yazidi genocide survivors who remain displaced, living in extremely unsafe and degrading conditions. UHfR works in close collaboration with survivors and members of the Yazidi diaspora to deliver tangible assistance and advocate for protection and justice outcomes. We are focused on achieving long-term positive impacts, grounded in the fulfillment of fundamental human rights.
Your donation supports the goals of our Yazidi Community Support Programme:
1. Emergency assistance for genocide survivors through the provision of essential items (such as clothing, food, and hygiene and household supplies), access to medical care, protecting culture and heritage, and legal representation: for resettlement applications and illegal deportation cases.
2. Capacity-building and civil society cooperation through strengthening networks in Europe and Australia.
3. Support for long-term protection through advocacy for resettlement and access to humanitarian admission.
4. Contributing to international accountability efforts, calling on EU members and Australia to uphold their Human Rights commitments.
To protect the dignity and safety of the women we support, UHfR upholds strict confidentiality regarding their identities, locations, and detailed personal circumstances. This ensures their autonomy and aligns with our commitment to ethical, survivor-centered support.
How Can You Support Us?
- Make an immediate donation
- Become a supporting member or monthly donor
- Partner with us
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