Gender‑based violence (GBV) against Yazidi women and girls, especially sexual slavery under IS IL, has become a decisive factor in asylum claims across Europe. Selective humanitarianism, special admission programmes, and divergent legal interpretations shape both the success rates and the lived realities of Yazidi refugees.
Genocide recognition shapes Yazidi repatriation by influencing legal narratives, migration governance, and domestic policies. While it legitimizes claims for return, recognition alone does not guarantee safe or sustainable reintegration.
This article examines how Yazidi communities are legally recognised in host nations, focusing on citizenship pathways, asylum protection, and the persistent challenges they face, with a particular lens on Germany and France.
The Yazidi calendar, a lunisolar system rooted in ancient Mesopotamian tradition, governs the bi‑annual Tawûsgeran pilgrimage and other sacred journeys. By aligning lunar months with solar seasons, it synchronises religious rites, communal gatherings, and the distribution of holy objects across Yazidi communities.
The Yazidi Mîr, the hereditary political and religious leader of the Yazidi community, is chosen through a blend of lineage, council approval, and community consensus. This article examines the traditional mechanisms of succession, recent disputes following the 2019 death of Mir Tahsin Beg, and the evolving challenges facing the institution today.
In August 2014, Kurdish Peshmerga forces launched a coordinated ground and air campaign that broke the Islamic State’s siege of Mount Sinjar, enabling the rescue of tens of thousands of Yazidis. Their rapid mobilization, air‑drop assistance, and the opening of a humanitarian corridor were pivotal in averting a large‑scale genocide.
Qewlê Cemayê is a central hymn recited during the Yazidi Feast of the Assembly (Cejna Cemayê). It functions as a theological narrative, a ritual marker, and a vehicle for oral transmission of Yazidi doctrine, linking community identity with sacred music.
The Yazidi Youth Forum in Germany mobilises a new generation to reinterpret and sustain ritual practices, balancing diaspora integration with the preservation of core religious traditions. Drawing on community studies, the forum’s activities illustrate how youth agency reshapes Yazidi rites in a European context.
The Yazidi calendar incorporates an intercalary month called Adarê Zêde to align the lunar‑based months with the solar year. Its insertion follows rules derived from the ancient Seleucid calendar, ensuring that the Yazidi New Year remains anchored to spring.
The Çavuş system represents the grassroots tier of Yazidi religious administration, while the Central Spiritual Council functions as the national authority. This article compares their structures, duties, and historical evolution within the broader context of state‑regulated religious institutions.