Baghdad — On 10 October, the General Directorate for Survivors Affairs under the Iraqi Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs signed a Cooperation Agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), aimed at supporting the implementation of the landmark Yezidi Survivors Law (YSL), adopted in 2021.

The YSL established a framework for providing financial support and other forms of redress to survivors of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) atrocities against Iraq’s Yezidi, Shabak, Christian and Turkmen communities. Though progress has been made on this front by the Government of Iraq, Iraqi civil society and international organizations, survivors continue to live in immense need.

The Directorate is mandated with implementing the YSL through the provision of individual reparations and the coordination of other transitional justice measures to address the legacy of ISIL’s genocide and crimes against humanity.

Under this Agreement, IOM Iraq will support the implementation of activities to strengthen the Directorate’s capacity to fulfill its mandate, including through capacity building, technical guidance, material assistance and outreach among survivors, affected communities and the general public. Signatories also commit to exchanging expertise and best practices in the field of reparations and transitional justice.

The signing of this Agreement is in line with an already-established close partnership between the Directorate and IOM Iraq in the preparation of the application process for reparations under the YSL.

“IOM Iraq remains committed to working with MOLSA and the Directorate to support a trauma-informed, survivor-centred process that helps reparations reach survivors in a timely and efficient fashion,” said Mr. Giorgi Gigauri, Chief of Mission for IOM in Iraq. “Many survivors remain in protracted displacement, and those who have returned home are not significantly better off. By building capacity at the national and local levels, we can together contribute to durable solutions for these displacement-affected survivors.”

Director General Sarab Alias Barakat said: “Today, we – the General Directorate for Survivors’ Affairs of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs – are happy to cooperate with IOM Iraq. Since the YSL was enacted, IOM has supported the Directorate by providing technical expertise, training and material and logistical support. If had it not been for IOM’s support, the Directorate would not have reached this progress in the implementation of the YSL. We look forward to further cooperation in the future.”

Survivors can apply to receive benefits under the YSL by submitting an application directly through the Directorate’s online portal, or by scheduling an in-person meeting at the Directorate’s main office in Mosul or any of its branch office locations and submitting an application during the meeting.

For more information, please contact IOM Iraq’s Public Information Unit, iraqpublicinfo@iom.int