Yazidi tricked into abandoning their children

Women with sons and daughters born as a consequence of sexual violence

Yazidi women forced to marry IS fighters are also struggling to deal with the psychological wounds. 

Yazidi women and girls subjected to sexual slavery by Islamic State fighters have given birth to hundreds of boys and girls. Many of them have been denied a place in the Yazidi community due to various factors, including the position of the Yazidi Supreme Spiritual Council and the current legal framework in Iraq, which establishes the obligation to register every Muslim as a Muslim. “unknown” or Muslim father.

Several women interviewed by Amnesty International stated that they had been pressured, coerced, or even tricked into abandoning their children, causing serious psychological distress. They had also been falsely assured that they could visit their children or be reunited with them at a later stage.
All of the women interviewed who had been separated from their children said that they had had no contact with or access to them, and that they felt unable to speak to their family or community about their desire to be reunited with their children because they feared for their own safety.

Janan *, 22, said,

 “I want to say to [nuestra comunidad] And to all the people in the world who please accept us, who accept our children … I did not want to have a child of those people. They made me have it. I would never ask to meet his father, but I need to meet my son. “

This is what Hanan *, 24, who had her daughter taken from her, relates:

 “I have the same feeling as the rest of the mothers [que se encuentran en la misma situación]. We have all thought about taking our lives, or we have tried … We are human, we have rights, and we want our children to be with us. It does not matter what we have experienced with the Islamic State; the situation we are going through now is much worse. We need a solution. “

Matt Wells of Amnesty International says:

These women were enslaved, tortured, and subjected to sexual violence. They should not suffer any other punishment.

Amnesty International calls on international organizations such as UNHCR to prioritize these women and children and to expedite their resettlement or humanitarian relocation, with the cooperation of national authorities and foreign governments.

“These women were enslaved, tortured, and subjected to sexual violence. They should not suffer any other punishment. They must be able to reunite with their sons and daughters, and any future separation must be avoided. They should be offered the opportunity for international resettlement or relocation together with their sons and daughters, taking into account the enormous danger they face in Iraq, “

said Matt Wells.