Iraqi Women’s Association and the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement Condemn Turkish military attacks on Sinjar

The third Iraqi Women’s Conference, held in Baghdad on July 25th and organised by the Iraqi Women’s Association and the Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ), opened with the slogan, “Become the voice of self-defense in a common fight against femicide.” The conference began with a moment of silence for the victims of the 2014 Yazidi genocide in Sinjar.

Participants condemned ongoing Turkish military attacks on Sinjar, labelling them as continuations of the genocide and accusing Turkey of supporting ISIS. They called for international recognition of the 2014 genocide, a no-fly zone over Sinjar, and recognition of Sinjar’s autonomous administration. The conference urged displaced Yazidis to return to Sinjar and demanded renewed women’s rights protections in Iraq.

Ferîde Şengalî from TAJÊ highlighted the shared suffering of women worldwide due to patriarchal violence and emphasised the need for women to organise to prevent such attacks. She also condemned ongoing Turkish military assaults on Sinjar, describing them as a continuation of the genocide and accusing Turkey of supporting ISIS.

Various messages and speeches reiterated solidarity with the Yazidi women and the broader fight against violence and femicide, emphasising unity and collective struggle as crucial for addressing these issues.