Survivors Engage in Dialogue with Representatives from the GDSA

Recently, survivors gathered at the Women’s Center in Sinjar to meet with representatives from the General Directorate for Survivors’ Affairs (GDSA), offering attendees a meaningful opportunity to be heard and to share their ongoing challenges. This session, organized by the NI team, reflects key components of the Center’s mission, ensuring that survivors are informed, empowered, and supported in claiming their legal rights – in this case, those guaranteed under the Yazidi Survivors Law.

To ensure inclusive participation, survivors living in Canada and Australia were able to join the session virtually. GDSA representatives responded to a range of pressing questions and concerns raised by survivors, including barriers to education, delays in land allocation, challenges in processing monthly compensation, and difficulties in obtaining official documentation. Survivors also raised urgent medical concerns and urged GDSA to intensify efforts to locate and identify loved ones who remain missing.

Throughout the dialogue, GDSA representatives outlined ongoing efforts and shared updates in response to key concerns raised by survivors. The discussion reaffirmed GDSA’s commitment to removing barriers, improving transparency, and ensuring survivors can access the rights and services they are entitled to. Survivors were encouraged to stay engaged for further updates and assistance.

Convenings like these are essential to advancing justice, accountability, and survivor-led dialogue. As we look ahead, we remain committed to facilitating these critical conversations, and to bridging the gap between survivors and the systems meant to serve them.