This two week stay in Calgary served several purposes, inter alia, further reaearch on the Yazidi (Ezidi) genocide and getting acquainted with Yazidis (Ezidis) living there. The dialogue and exchange with them is of huge importance to us and our work.

Together with our partner Ezidi Woman Support League, we have implemented four seminars and workshops in Sinjar to empower women. The four seminars included: Dealing with identity and history, self-organisation of women in the new Sinjar, individual help for women and creation of jobs for women.

Cansu Özdemir is one of the Parliamentary Party Leaders of DIE LINKE in the Hamburg State Parliament. Mrs Özdemir has already been advocating for Yazidi (Ezidi) women in the past. We exchanged information about women’s networks  and the commitment to women related issues in Hamburg. The commitment to Yazidi (Ezidi) women who managed to escape captivity was a crucial part of the meeting. More dialogues to be expected in 2020.

We concluded a cooperation agreement with the Ezidi Woman League from Sinjar (Northern Iraq). Our goals are working together on legal advice and the integration and strengthening of the women in the Sinjar area (especially the ones who could be freed from “IS”). Furthermore, we are planning joint activities regarding public relations work, the building of women’s centres, kindergartens, etc. in that area.

Together with Aktion Hoffnungsschimmer we concluded a contract with Aktion der kleine Prinz – Internationale Hilfe für Kinder in Not e. V. regarding the project “The Building of a Kindergarten”.

The contract includes  the financial support for the first Kindergarten in Xanesor. Aktion der kleine Prinz e. V. will be supporting the Kindergarten with at least 3.100 Euros annually, from 2019 to 2021.

Yazidis (Ezidis) from Sinjar, who found a new home in Hanover, have been visited in order to talk about their refugee experience, give them legal advice and a voice, to support them and to strenghthen them.

This project was supported by the Integrationsfond der Stadt Hannover.

As guest Women for Justice e. V. joined the foundation of our partner organization in Sinjar: Ezidi Woman Support League.

In order to strengthen our skills for interviews with Yazidi (Ezidi) survivors we organized a seminar on “Interviews with survivals” with our partner Bergen-Belsen Memorial. Based on our aims, capacities and knowledge we reflected our experience and outcomes, crystallized possible improvements and worked on our next working steps. Bergen-Belsen Memorial has professional experience in interviews with Holocaust survivors for more than 20 years.

Women for Justice e. V. met their members in the Sinjar area, exchanged about working methods and working challenges. We also met our new partner organization “Ezidi Woman Support League” in Sinjar city which is the first Women’s Foundation with only female board members all over Iraq. Furthermore, we visited the first Kindergarten in Sinjar.

Members of Women for Justice e. V. were some of the 100 guests at the opening of the center of our partner organization Ezidi Woman Support League in Sinjar City.

It was the first international conference on so-called IS in North Syria/Rojava. Experts and representatives from all around the world (like the US, France a.o.) and regional  representatives contributed to fruitful discussions and strategy concepts. Also Yazidi (Ezidi) women were invited as speakers. In the final declaration justice and rights for Yazidis (Ezidis) were demanded.

In order to find partners in France, Women for Justice e. V. organized a first stay in Paris. We met Yazidi (Ezidi) and French NGOs, journalists and lawyers with whom we are in touch ever since. We started preparations for joint activities and projects. We also got interviewed by France 24.

Women for Justice e. V. had a workshop on strategic issues and rediscussed and talked about their different fields of work. Furthermore, the effective division of labour was an important factor of the get together.

In order to discuss inter-Yazidi (inter-Ezidi) questions and achievements inside and outside of the Yazidi (Ezidi) community, Women for Justice e. V. met journalist Barkat Îsa, poet and artist Hacî Qîranî and members from the Price family. We agreed on exchanging more in the future.

Women for Justice e. V. arranged several meetings with important lawyers and associations, such as the International Bar Association and the Bar Human Rights Committee. Our main purpose is to find partners with the same interest in taking legal action with us and support us seeking justice for the victims of the Yazidi (Ezidi) genocide.

In order to find out joint working areas we organized a workshop with colleagues of the Bergen-Belsen Memorial. Topics were legal approaches, supervision a.o.

As part of a relief campaign Brandenburg is expected about 60 Yazidis (Ezidis) from Northern Iraq. Since 2014 they have been living in tents in refugee camps.

The aid is coordinated by the State Chancellery of Brandenburg and will implemented through the state ministry for home affairs, social affairs and education.

Within the relief campaign a meeting took place with the state secretary Martin Gorholt to discuss our role in this relief campaign.

Women for Justice e. V. met up with several organizations like the Santa Marta Group,  Anti-Slavery International, and the Helen Bamber Foundation to exchange ideas and talk about potential joint activities.

The French speaking Parliament of Brussels in partnership with the Belgian Collective for the Prevention of the Crimes of Genocide and Against Negationism, Women for Justice e. V., the Jewish Secular Community Center David Susskind (CCLJ) and AGBU Europe organized a conference dedicated to Yazidi (Ezidi) women and a public debate on the actions to be taken to address the short and long-term needs of Yazidi (Ezidi) women. Two Yazidi (Ezidi) female survivors (who are among our members) spoke to the audience and delivered a testimony on their captivity as sex slaves under the so-called Islamic State. Representative of Women for Justice e. V. Dr. Leyla Ferman and one of our lawyers Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir also gave speeches.

Programm

The opening of the exhibition „ABOUT LIFE – Yazidi women after the 2014 Femicide“ – Bearing Witness – Seeking Justice – Fighting for Human Rights in January 2019, in the new town hall in Celle.

We understand meetings with female survivors as the basis of all our work. We have been meeting female survivors from Sinjar (Şengal) both as inviduals and in groups. Besides social care and legal advice, we try to find out methods to enable Yazidi (Ezidi) survivors to make their own decisions in life here in Germany.