An Ezidi survivor of ISIS captivity has joined global efforts to push for stronger protections and recognition for victims of torture, as a new international charter is presented at the United Nations.
Shireen Khudeeda, who was abducted during the 2014 genocide in Sinjar and held in captivity for three years, is among those advocating for justice, accountability, and long-term support for survivors. Today, she works with Yazda to support Ezidis and other survivors, including efforts to identify mass graves and locate missing persons.
Her experience has contributed to the development of the “Survivors’ Charter,” a global framework presented at the UN Human Rights Council. The charter outlines key principles such as truth, justice, rehabilitation, and the inclusion of survivors in decision-making processes.
Khudeeda emphasized that the effects of torture go far beyond physical harm, highlighting the lasting psychological impact on survivors. Her message reflects the broader reality faced by many Ezidis, as families continue to search for missing relatives more than a decade after the genocide.
The initiative brings together testimonies from survivors around the world and calls on governments to adopt concrete measures that ensure dignity, recognition, and real access to justice. It also stresses that survivors should not only be heard but actively involved in shaping the systems meant to protect them.
For Ezidis, the charter represents another step toward international acknowledgment of their suffering and the need for sustained action. It reinforces ongoing demands for justice, accountability, and support for survivors of the genocide.
Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 16 March 2026.
