U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 

Women in FoRB: Making a Difference

North Congressional Meeting Room (CVC 268)

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

March 22, 2024 

STANDING IN UNITY: SUPPORTING THE YAZIDI COMMUNITY AGAINST 

ONGOING PERSECUTION AND GENDER AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION

Dear Esteemed Members and Supporters of the U.S. Commission on International Religious 

Freedom,

As we come together for the "Women in FoRB: Making a Difference" event, it is imperative that we 

confront the harrowing realities that underscore this gathering. The Yazidi genocide represents not 

just a tragic chapter in modern history, but the culmination of centuries of systemic persecution 

endured by the Yazidi community and other minorities in Iraq. This enduring oppression led my 

family and me to seek refuge in Canada in 1999. Alarmingly, 25 years later, the predicament for 

Yazidis and other minorities has only worsened. ISIS's barbaric acts—mass executions, rape, sexual 

slavery, forced labor, and religious conversion—have particularly devastated women, highlighting 

the dire need for our mission in Canada.

In August 2014, our lives in Canada were shattered by horrific reports from Sinjar. This spurred our 

Winnipeg community into action, with the Jewish community emerging as a crucial ally. Together, 

we formed Operation Ezra, inspired by a historic mission that relocated Jews from Iraq to Israel postWorld War II. Operation Ezra, in collaboration with the Canadian Yazidi Association, has now 

become a multi-faith initiative dedicated to supporting the Yazidi community in Canada, focusing on 

family reunification, community rebuilding, and advocating for justice for survivors.

Our collective efforts have brought significant achievements, such as the private sponsorship of 65 

Yazidis, raising over $1.5 million for initiatives, and providing support to more than 1,000 

government-sponsored Yazidi refugees. Our initiatives include launching integration and healing 

programs, creating Canada's first Yazidi cemetery, and founding the Healing Cleaning Company to 

offer employment to Yazidi survivors, with a particular focus on young women. Furthermore, our 

collaboration with Canada's War Crimes Program has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of 

Yazidi women and girls, ensuring their stories are heard and justice pursued.
At the heart of our mission lies the objective of family reunification, a priority highlighted by 

Canada's new policy in November 2023 that aims to reunite 400 principal applicants with their 

families. However, the urgent need for more funding to broaden services and bolster support for the

Yazidi community emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive, trauma-informed strategy to 

ensure survivors not only recover but flourish in their new circumstances.

Nearly a decade after the genocide began, the Yazidi community in Iraq still faces ongoing 

challenges: over 300,000 Yazidis living in displacement camps with inhumane conditions. More than 

2,700 women and children remain in ISIS captivity, the Sinjar region has seen negligible 

reconstruction, security issues severely limit the possibility of return, and the significant harm to 

Yazidi cultural and religious heritage.

Legal frameworks aimed at protecting human rights, including those of religious and ethnic 

minorities under the 2005 Iraqi Constitution, face significant challenges in realization, especially for 

Yazidis. Judicial biases, influence from non-state actors like ISIS, and displacement undermine 

effective protection. Legislation targeting minority needs lack clear safeguards against forced 

conversions, sexual violence, and forced marriages, leaving gaps in protection. The Sinjar Agreement 

and Yazidi Survivors Law, despite their intentions, suffer from slow implementation and 

bureaucratic hurdles, exacerbating the plight of Yazidis, especially women and girls. This 

underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies and international support to overcome 

these barriers. 

The resilience of Yazidi women and girls highlights the stark gap between rights on paper and their 

application, particularly in the face of gender and religious discrimination. Their strength compels 

action — it's a moral imperative. As the Yazidi community, especially its most vulnerable members, 

work toward recovery, your support and advocacy is crucial.

Sincerely,

Jamileh Naso

Jamileh Naso

President 

Canadian Yazidi Association 

A: 101 Prairie Sky Drive, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3Y 0K8

P: 1 (204) 894-3126

E: canadianyazidiassociation@gmail.com naso.jamileh@gmail.com

W: https://canadianyazidiassociation.com