Security and Empowerment as Justice: Yezidi Women's Demands and Perceptions of Post-Genocide Justice

Abstract

This article examines how Yezidi women's experiences before, during, and after the 2014 genocide have shaped their perceptions and demands for justice. Drawing from interviews conducted between 2018 and 2021 among Sinjari Yezidis in Iraq and in the diaspora, I found diverse demands: older women prioritize a safe return to Sinjar, while younger women seek socioeconomic rights and an end to structural violence, and survivors of captivity emphasize retribution. These demands converge around Yezidis' longing for equality, security, and empowerment in Iraq, highlighting the necessity of a human security approach to attain transformative justice for minorities in the country.