Short Answer
This encyclopedia entry surveys the network of rehabilitation and support programmes established for Yazidi women who survived the systematic sexual slavery carried out by ISIS between 2014 and 2017. It draws on official Iraqi legislation, United Nations‑backed monitoring reports, and field work by international NGOs.
Yazidi Female Survivors Law (YSL) (Kurmanji: Yasa Jinanên Êzdiyan) is Iraq’s 2021 statute that guarantees reparations, psychosocial care, and livelihood assistance to Yazidi women subjected to gender‑based violence during the ISIL conflict.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Kurmanji name | Yasa Jinanên Êzdiyan |
| Also written | Yazidi Female Survivors Law; YSL |
| Category | Reparative justice & survivor assistance |
| Region | Iraq (Sinjar, Duhok, Erbil), diaspora |
| Observed/Active | 2021 – present |
| Primary sources | Law No. 8/2021, C4JR reports, FYF year‑one report, IRM project documentation |
Pronunciation & orthography
Kurmanji spelling: Yasa Jinanên Êzdiyan. Arabic‑script variant: قانون النساء الإيزيديات. Cyrillic variant (used in diaspora publications): Йасa Джинанэн Эздиан. IPA: /jaˈsa dʒiˈnaːnɛn ˈeːzdiˈjan/. Common English misspellings include “Yazidi Female Survivors Law” (often written “Yazidi” vs “Êzidî”).
Main exposition
Legal framework: the Yazidi Female Survivors Law (2021)
Enacted on 2 March 2021, Law No. 8/2021 formalises the state’s obligation to provide cash reparations, medical‑psychological care, and vocational training to Yazidi women who were enslaved, raped, or forced into marriage by ISIS (Refworld, 2021) https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2021/en/124274. The law created the Directorate General for Survivors’ Affairs to administer applications.
State‑run reparations programme
The first year of applications (2022‑2023) saw 1,050 Yazidi women submit claims; 680 were approved for cash reparations averaging US$3,500 per survivor (Free Yezidi Foundation, 2023) https://freeyezidi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Iraqs-Yezidi-Survivors-Law-Report-on-Year-One-of-Reparation-FYF.pdf. The law also mandates free mental‑health services, yet implementation gaps remain.
Interim Reparative Measures (IRM) Project
Funded by the Global Survivors Fund and co‑implemented by Nadia’s Initiative and Mission East, the IRM project provides immediate psychosocial counselling, safe‑housing, and livelihood kits to survivors in Iraq’s Duhok and Erbil governorates (Global Resilience Partnership, 2025) https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/resource/interim-reparative-measures-irm-project/. Projects are co‑created with survivors, ensuring autonomy in design and monitoring.
NGO‑led community support
The Coalition for Just Reparations (C4JR) and Jiyan Foundation run legal‑aid clinics, trauma‑focused group therapy, and income‑generation workshops for displaced Yazidi women (C4JR, 2025) https://c4jr.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/C4JR-Report-2025-Four-Years-After-YSL.pdf. These programmes emphasize culturally‑sensitive counselling that respects Yazidi spiritual practices.
Psychosocial and mental‑health services
Survivors receive trauma‑informed care through mobile clinics staffed by Kurdish‑speaking psychologists. The FYF report notes that 85 % of women who accessed counselling reported reduced PTSD symptoms after six months (FYF, 2023).
Livelihood and economic empowerment
Vocational training in tailoring, agriculture, and IT, coupled with micro‑grant schemes, aim to restore economic independence. By the end of 2024, over 400 women had completed IRM‑funded training programmes.
Challenges and gaps
Despite legislative advances, survivors cite bureaucratic delays, inadequate cash amounts, and limited outreach in remote villages. The 2025 C4JR monitoring report describes the law as “more than ink on paper” when implementation stalls (C4JR, 2025).
In the oral tradition
Yazidi oral narratives preserve testimonies of captivity and resilience. A qewl recorded in the village of Koçkoyê recounts a woman’s promise to “bring the sun back to the valley” after her release, symbolising hope for communal healing. As the C4JR report notes, “These verses are not merely poetry; they are living maps of trauma and recovery” (C4JR, 2025).
“We sing that the night will end, and the children will laugh again.” – excerpt from a survivor qewl collected in Sinjar.
Scholarly disagreement
Kreyenbroek argues that the YSL’s reparations model is insufficient because it focuses on monetary compensation without addressing collective cultural restoration. Açıkyıldız counters that cash payments are a pragmatic first step that can fund community‑led cultural projects, provided the state guarantees timely disbursement.
Common misconceptions
Regional variation
In the Sinjar district, community‑based support groups operate under the auspices of local tribal councils, while in the Duhok IDP camps, IRM mobile units provide direct services. Syrian Yazidi refugees rely heavily on diaspora NGOs for cash assistance, and Turkish Yazidi diaspora organisations focus on legal advocacy abroad.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2021 | Enactment of Iraq Law No. 8 – Yazidi Female Survivors Law (YSL) Refworld |
| 2022 | First wave of reparations applications opened; Directorate General for Survivors’ Affairs established (FYF, 2023) |
| Sept 2023 | Free Yezidi Foundation publishes Year‑One report on reparations outcomes (FYF, 2023) |
| 2024 | IRM Project expands to 3 additional camps, delivering psychosocial kits to 1,200 women (Global Resilience Partnership, 2025) |
| Feb 2025 | C4JR releases “More Than Ink on Paper” monitoring report, highlighting implementation gaps (C4JR, 2025) |
Data table
| Indicator | 2023 Figure |
|---|---|
| Reparations applications submitted | 1,0501 |
| Reparations approved | 6802 |
| Women receiving psychosocial counselling | 9503 |
1Free Yezidi Foundation, “Year‑One of Reparation Applications,” 2023.
2Free Yezidi Foundation, 2023.
3Global Resilience Partnership, IRM Project report, 2025.
FAQ
How are survivors identified and verified for reparations under the YSL?
Survivors must submit a written testimony, supporting documentation (e.g., medical reports, witness statements), and undergo an interview with the Directorate General for Survivors’ Affairs. Independent NGOs often assist with evidence collection.
What role do international NGOs play compared to the Iraqi government?
International NGOs provide interim services—counselling, safe‑housing, and vocational training—while the government is responsible for cash reparations and long‑term health care. Coordination mechanisms are still being refined.
Is the support available to Yazidi women living outside Iraq?
Diaspora organisations and UN‑funded programmes extend cash assistance and legal advocacy to Yazidi refugees in Syria, Turkey, and Western countries, but they operate outside the formal YSL framework.
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