At the invitation of Kirsten Lühmann (Member of the Bundestag, Spokesperson for Transport Policy of the SPD Parliamentary Group) and Aydan Özoğuz (Member of the Bundestag, former Minister of State, Deputy Spokesperson for the Human Rights Working Group of the SPD Parliamentary Group), we participated in the online debate. The aim was to discuss and debate the challenges faced by Yazidis (Ezidis) in living together in Germany and the role played by women in particular in this religion and community.

Another short clip for our campaign  “Ein Baum für Shingal – 1 tree 4 Sinjar”  (detailed trailer) has been released. Thanks to your support we could already collect donations for many trees. The donations will be used completely for the project.

A tree for Sinjar = 20 € / 20 $ donate to

Women for Justice e. V.
IBAN: DE71 2505 0180 0910 4550 82
BIC: SPKHDE2HXXX
Sparkasse Hannover
Use: 1tree4Sinjar

To get a donation receipt please add you address in the use.

Videomaterial:
Archive Women for Justice e. V.

Music:
“One Second” from https://www.frametraxx.de/

We are happy to present our new campaign “Ein Baum für Shingal – 1 tree 4 Sinjar” with a trailer. Full of hope and in strong cooperation we start with this project into the next months and are looking forward to your and your support.

A tree for Sinjar = 20 € / 20 $ donate to

Women for Justice e. V.
IBAN: DE71 2505 0180 0910 4550 82
BIC: SPKHDE2HXXX
Sparkasse Hannover
Use: 1tree4Sinjar

Video- und photomaterial:
Archive Women for Justice e. V.
Çira TV www.cira.tv

Music:
Gemafreie Musik für Youtube, Video, Telefon und Werbung
“For the End” und “Chasing Thieves” from https://www.frametraxx.de/

Accountability Unit, together with Garden Court North Chambers and the University of Manchester invited to a webinar The ‘Crime of Crimes’: Personal and Legal Reflections on Genocide

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the 25th anniversary commemorating the genocide of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Genocide in Srebrenica was the worst atrocity on European soil since the Holocaust despite States’ commitments to ‘Never Again’. In the first of a series on international law we explore what genocide means.

Pete Weatherby QC will Chair the event and help frame the discussion. Prof Javaid Rehman, Member of the Coordination Committee of the Special Procedures United Nations Human Rights Office, will deliver the keynote speech on why this discussion today is as relevant today as it was after the horrors of WWII. Dr Noemie Lopian and Dr Leyla Ferman will relate their own personal legacies of living with the consequences of genocide: one historical relating to the Holocaust; the other contemporary relating to crimes against the Yazidis (Ezidis) of Iraq and Syria. Aarif Abraham and Kate Stone will talk about the law relating to genocide, the difficulty of its application and lessons for the future. Our host will be Dr John Haskell. Further details about the event including the speaker’s bios can be found on AU’s website.

The webinar is organised by Aarif Abraham, Convener, International Law at Garden Court North Chambers & Acting Director at Accountability Unit; Dr. John D. Haskell, Co-Director at Manchester International Law Centre; and Philip Drake, Director of the University of Manchester’s Justice Hub. 

In October we took part in the Action Network on Forced Displacement – Women as Agents of Change.

About the Network: 2020 marks 20 years since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. 2020 also is the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Women held in Beijing and the Beijing Platform for Action, and the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has committed itself to campaigning for the greater participation of women in decision-making processes in contexts of displacement. The Action Network on Forced Displacement brings this commitment to life. It aims to bring together those who are actively engaged on behalf of, and together with displaced women. The Network aims to identify good practices for strengthening the political and economic participation of women affected by forced displacement and build a community of action for advocacy, implementation and the dissemination of ideas.

With: Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary State Secretary, BMZ and Sarah Hendriks, Director, Policy, Programme & Intergovernmental Division, UN Women, Chair of the WPHF Funding Board

Confirmed speakers were

Rola Dashti, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA), Cecilia Jiminez-Damary , UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons, Bärbel Kofler, Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, Germany, Elke Löbel, Commissioner for Refugee Policy, BMZ, Razia Sultana, RW Welfare Society

Within the framework of the debate and further education on the principle of world law and gender-specific violence as a feature of genocide (feminicide), colleagues from Women for Justice e. V. took part in an expert discussion. The question of justice for international law crimes in German courts as well as chances and challenges in practice were discussed.

Since May 2020, we have accompanied the court case against Omaima A., an “IS” returnee. She was accused of violating her duty of care and education, membership in a terrorist organization, violation of the War Weapons Control Act as well as human trafficking and crimes against humanity. It has been proven that she kept a 13-year-old Yazidi (Ezidi) girl as a slave for several months. Together with the Feminist Campaign Gemeinsam Kämpfen, the Dachverband des Ezidischen Frauenrats e. V. and Gesellschaft ezidischer AkademikerInnen e. V., we published a statement at the end of the trial. Here is an excerpt:

“[…] The ongoing processes make it clear how strongly also women* were integrated into the system of the Islamic state. Nevertheless, returnees continue to paint a picture of innocent wives in interrogations, including Omaima A. In German courts, the argumentation that women can only be victims, but not perpetrators, is adopted in accordance with traditional gender roles. […]“

Complete statement (german)

Together with our partners from the Ezidi Woman Support League we will implement a reforestation project in spring 2021 as part of the “Women for Nature” project: Over 50 women will plant oak trees. The forests of Sinjar were all cut down in the 70s. Oak trees are regional trees. They not only stand for the identity of the society and the region, but also have their uses in livestock breeding. This first reforestation project aims to support the climate and create recreational areas. This project is funded by Aktion Hoffnungschimmer e. V..

Our German language information brochure has been published. On 20 colored pages we as Women for Justice e. V. present our different works and projects, the situation in Sinjar, the Yazidi (Ezidi) faith as well as the motivation and background of our activities. All texts are accompanied by photos and maps, so that a vivid impression of our manifold activities can be created.

Have look at it here.

As part of the long-term documentation project of Women for Justice e. V., our members attended a seminar organized by employees of the EUROPEAN CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS E. V. (ECCHR for short). The ECCHR has set itself the goal of using legal means together with those affected and partners worldwide so that those responsible for torture, war crimes, sexualized violence, economic exploitation and sealed borders do not go unpunished.

In this part of the seminar, the focus was on international institutions that deal with the “IS” from a legal point of view, as well as the approach and goals of process monitoring.

Under the title “Colors of War for Peace”, an invitation was extended on September 18 to the opening of the exhibition by Ravo Ossman in the Anti-War House in Lehrte. The exhibition will be shown there until 16.10.. His pictures reflect very powerfully his processing of the events and make them visible. The opening of the exhibition was linked to a program presented by Yilmaz Kaba (presenter at Çira TV). Eyewitnesses reported on the escape from Sinjar at the beginning of the genocide and feminicide on August 3, 2014, followed by an input on the Yazidis (Ezidis) and Yazidism (Ezidism), supplemented by up-to-date information on the lives of the internally displaced persons and the situation in Rojava/Northern Syria today.
Furthermore, the book “Daughters of the Sun – Keçên rojê” was presented by the authors Claudia Ruhs and Sebra Xalti and they read some excerpts.
In the end it was stated that more publicity and support must be created. The planning of further events was also encouraged. Yazidi (Ezidi) women from the neighbourhood provided for the physical well-being. Afterwards there was the opportunity for intercultural exchange and we used the opportunity to get to know the authors and to talk to them.

For the purpose of documenting the violence of the so-called IS at the Yazidis (Ezidis), members of Women for Justice e. V. have visited sacred temples in Sinjar, which were destroyed by the “IS”. They included Shêxmend (see picture), Mehmad Resha, Simayîl Beg and Amadîn. Further destroyed temples are to be visited.

As part of the long-term documentation project of Women for Justice e. V., our members attended a seminar organized by female employees of the EUROPEAN CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS E. V. (ECCHR for short). Together with those affected and partners worldwide, ECCHR uses legal means to end impunity for those responsible for torture, war crimes, sexual and gender-based violence, corporate exploitation and fortressed borders.
In this part of the seminar, the focus was on the “principle of world law” and case studies of trials against “IS” supporters in Europe.

In August, our members met to intensively discuss the plans for the reconstruction projects of Women for Justice e. V., which we implement with our cooperation partners in Sinjar. In addition to the content and concrete orientation of the projects, the conditions of cooperation and ideas for public relations were discussed.

Members of Women for Justice e. V. met on site with Kirsten Lühmann (SPD), member of the German Bundestag, for an exchange on the project with the Bergen-Belsen Memorial.

On the occasion of the international day of action for the six-year anniversary of the massacre by the “Islamic state” in Sinjar on August 3, 2020, Cansu Özdemir (MdHB, DIE LINKE) discussed with Sevda Ediz and our member Diana Gring (historian at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial and trauma pedagogue). The so-called Islamic state has cruelly executed thousands of Yazidis (Ezidis) in the region of Sinjar in northern Iraq, and has kidnapped, raped and sold mostly Yazidi (Ezidi) women and children. Even today about half of the Yazidis (Ezidis) are still missing and are in “IS”-prison. Some German citizens are currently on trial in Germany and are held responsible for the enslavement of Yazidi (Ezidi) young girls and women.

The video is available here: Self-determined against feminicide and genocide

Subtitles for different languages can be created automatically.

In July, we met as members of Women for Justice e. V. for an internal training on “Dealing with Trauma at Work”. On the one hand the workshop included theoretical introductions to trauma and trauma consequences, supervision as well as work with traumatized people and traumatizing issues. On the other hand, discussions, self-reflection and practical exercises were also part of the interactive program.

Our colleagues on site have already found a property for the gynaecological clinic project. Some renovation and furnishing work as well as the equipment with appropriate inventory is still needed before the planned work in the first gynaecological clinic in the region of Sinjar can start.

We are very pleased that Front Line Defenders has agreed to support our projects in Sinjar this year. Front Line Defenders was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk (HRDs), people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line Defenders addresses the protection needs identified by HRDs themselves.

Together with our partner Ezidi Woman Support League we visited women in Sinjar city to offer support in getting back to Sinjar. Dozens of families have returned to Sinjar in recent weeks. In addition, destroyed districts of Sinjar City have been documented again.

Women for Justice e. V. organized a group of 10 women in Sinjar to go on a trip into nature. This excursion was made as part of the Women for Nature project to develop a deeper feeling for nature again and to discover and collect different (medicinal) herbs.

Members of Women for Justice e. V. visited the first (private) natural herb station in Sinjar to get information. The association intends to set up a sustainable medicinal plant project for women under the name “Women for Nature”, which will also include training and knowledge transfer.

In a new and updated edition we have now published our short info flyer. It is now available in German and English, hot off the press, to provide brief information about the work of Women for Justice e. V.

With emphasis on Hannover Women for Justice e. V. collects information via interviews and conversations on holy temples in Sinjar which have been destroyed by so-called Islamic State since 2014. The aim is to preserve cultural knowledge and historical identity which strengthen refugees` integration in Germany. We belive that those who know where they are from and what their history is know also better how to live today and in the future. End of the year there will be a broschure. This project is funded by Integrationsfonds der Stadt Hannover.

(the temple at the picture is named Çilmêra and is one of the not destroyed)

Together with the Society of Yazidi Academics (Gesellschaft Ezidischer AkademikerInnen) and Cansu Özdemir (faction leader of DIE LINKE, Hamburgische Bürgerschaft), Women for Justice e. V. is observing the criminal proceedings at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court against Omaima A., who is alleged to have joined the so-called Islamic State in Syria and, among other things, kept a young Yazidi (Ezidi) girl as a slave.

Members of Women for Justice e. V. and other women visited the temple Xatûna Fexra in Sinjar in preparation for a rehabilitation project. They were given expert advice on the spot on how and where exactly rehabilitation is needed, areas were measured and the site was explored.

Women for Justice e. V. participated in the action of women in Sinjar in distributing face masks against the spread of Covid 19 to private persons, shops and workers. As the medical care in Sinjar is very poor, the spread of the Corona virus in Sinjar would have devastating consequences.

Women for Justice e. V. has decided on a new logo. For this purpose all members in Germany, Syria, Iraq and Turkey have been involved. The colours red and white are colours of Yazidis (Ezidis). Red symbolises life and white symbolises wisdom, peace and sincerity. The woman holds her arms in balance like Justizia and looks into the sun, which is also a sacred element of the Yazidi (Ezidi). The peacock symbolizes the archangel Tawsî Melek; hence the peacock feather.

On the occasion of the Yazidi (Ezidi) New Year “Carshemba Serê Nîsanê”, Women for Justice e. V. participated in a relief action for needy families in Sinjar. Not only were aid packages organized, but also, due to corona conditions, the families were visited by far. We continue to exchange information with the families.

Zehra Silêman, from the board of Ezidi Woman Support League, sends a heartfelt thank you to all the people and associations who have supported them so far.

Members of Women for Justice e. V. organized a two-day workshop with female colleagues from Germany and Iraq on the topic of projects. Topics such as project ideas, sketches, applications and financing were discussed and a roadmap was developed, with a special focus on the social projects in Sinjar. Our colleagues and our team in Sinjar play a central role in this.

Media is an important component of social incidents. In order to discuss the role of media and journalists in conflicts and Genocides, Women for Justice e. V. met Can Dündar to exchange, learn from the experience of an expert and an advocate for democratic change, not only in Turkey. Afterwards we visited Yazidi (Ezidi) survivors who recently arrived in Brandenburg.

Regarding the documentation of our work, Women for Justice e. V. met up with representatives of the Verein Kurdischer LehrerInnen in Europa e. V. (Association of Kurdish Teachers in Europe -Yekîtiya Mamosteyên Kurd li Ewrûpa) at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial. The dialogue included opportunities and challenges of documentation and how sustainable structures can be built. In the permanent exhibition of the Bergen-Belsen Memorial, the biographies of casualities and survivors, and the mass killing in the former concentrarion camp Bergen-Belsen are being documented in an impressive manner.

Women for Justice e. V. met up with several members of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) in Berlin and with PD Dr. Khanna Usoyan. Mrs Usoyan is a researcher for Kurdish Studies, currently working for the Institute for Iranian Studies (Department of History and Cultural Studies) at the Freie Universität Berlin. The discussions and exchange of information of both meetings were aimed at informing about the activities of Women for Justice e. V. and possible cooperations.

Dr Maria Flachsbarth is the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development. Our talk served the purpose of exchanging current questions and goals, regarding the work and projects of Women for Justice e. V., particularly the reconstruction projects in Sinjar, Iraq. More talks and dialogues will be following.

Doris Schröder-Köpf is both Commissioner for Migration and Participation – and member of the Landtag of Lower Saxony (SPD). Information on Women for Justice e. V.’s activities and potential networking in Hanover were the main objects of our meeting. The discussion also covered new project ideas.

Sangmee An is going to be filming a documentary on South Korean and Yazidi (Ezidi) survivors from summer 2020 onwards. She had a few questions about Yazidi (Ezidi) survivors, with a major interest in violence against women in time of war and terror.

Norman Paech is a retired university lecturer and professor for constitutional and international law. He is a member of the “Vereinigung demokratischer Juristinnen und Juristen” (VDJ) – an association for democratic laywers. Also, he’s part of the scientific advisory board of the “International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Armement” (IALANA), the “International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War” (IPPNW), a member of Attac and in the “Bündnis für Gerechtigkeit zwischen  Israelis und Palästiensern e. V.” – a coalition for justice between Israelis and Palestinians. Between 2005 – 2009 he was part of the Deutscher Bundestag.

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.

We understand meetings with female survivors as the basis of all our work. We have been meeting female survivors from Sinjar 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.