Voices for the Future - Iraq
In war-torn communities of Iraq, Yazidi women are emerging as leaders in the rebuild of their communities.
Above: Nadia* and her daughter were captured by IS and separated. Nadia managed to escape but has not seen her daughter since. Nadia’s daughter has cerebral palsy and Nadia is now part of a community committee supported the by AHP Building Peaceful Future program and is helping her community to rebuild and ensure the needs of people with disabilities are accounted for. Photo credit: Save the Children.
“The day Islamic State (IS) came to Qali Dera’as — on that day [my family] were separated and we didn’t see each other again as they couldn’t come back to save us … that day we hid under a truck so IS couldn’t find us. My daughter became hungry and thirsty, and as she couldn’t talk she cried. When she cried they came and found us.” - Nadi*
It has been more than five years since the IS-led trail of devastation tore communities and lives apart in Iraq in 2014. When Nadia and her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, were captured they were separated. Nadia was taken by IS. She hasn’t seen her daughter since.
Nadia’s time in captivity was incredibly difficult and it’s hard for her to talk about what happened. But after a year, she managed to escape and run into the mountains where she was eventually rescued by another Yazidi family and reunited with her husband and other children in a refugee camp. When IS retreated in 2017, Nadia and her family — along with many Yazidi survivors — returned to their home region of Sinjar to start the difficult task of rebuilding.
The Building Peaceful Futures program is a consortium of leading NGOs working in Sinjar and Hawija — areas hit hardest by IS — to help families transition home and rebuild their lives. The program supports women and girls like Nadia who were targeted and terrorised by IS. Gradually they are able to emerge from their deeply traumatic experience and lead the recovery process.
Above: The Building Peaceful Futures Program is helping communities, families and individuals, to rebuild their lives.
Through the program they’ve been encouraged to join community committees established by program partner Norwegian Refugee Council. The committees include justice leaders, local government and women like Nadia, who can advocate for everyone in their communities with emphasis on the needs of women, children and people with disabilities who are often excluded from decision making.
Nadia still lives with trauma but says being part of the project committee helps. Her personal experience with the needs of people with disability and chronic illness enables her to speak out for the most vulnerable, which is crucial when rebuilding community infrastructure like water and sanitation.
Her position on the committee also gives her an income so she can support her family. And her leadership role is helping her own healing journey and contributing to her vision where everyone works together to realise peace and stability in Sinjar.
About the Building Peaceful Futures program
Funded through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Save the Children Australia is leading a consortium of NGOs on the ground in the Sinjar and Hawija communities of Iraq. The consortium is made up of the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE, Humanity and Inclusion, and Save the Children.
The Building Peaceful Futures program prioritises those who need it most. Children who missed out on school for years because of the conflict. People with disabilities who suffered without the care and support of their family and healthcare. And women who were enslaved by IS — a deeply traumatic experience which has life-long emotional and physical scars.
Together, we’ve been restoring critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, community centres, and water and sanitation systems. We’re also providing incredibly vital support for families who’ve returned to the region such as reproductive healthcare, legal aid, counselling, and cash grants that help rebuild lives.
*Name has been changed.