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The Protection Needs of Minorities from Syria and Iraq Acknowledgements Abbreviations

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The Protection Needs of Minorities from Syria and Iraq Acknowledgements Abbreviations THE PROTECTION NEEDS OF MINORITIES FROM SYRIA AND IRAQ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS Project coordinator: Arne Sæverås, Senior Peace- This report is the product of a cooperation between 3RP – Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan building Advisor, Norwegian Church Aid / World Council Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and the World Council AI – Amnesty International of Churches. of Churches (WCC), with financial support from the AINA – Assyrian International News Agency Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. NCA and WCC are CAT – Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment grateful for the expert support provided by International CEDAW – Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), Yazda-Global CPED – International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Research coordinator: Javier Fabra-Mata, PhD, Advisor Yazidi Organization, Baghdad Women Association (BWA), CRC – Convention on the Rights of the Child for Methods and Results and Peacebuilding, Norwegian Christian Aid Program (CAPNI), ABAAD - Resource CRPD – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Church Aid. Centre for Gender and Equality , representatives from UN CRSV – conflict-related sexual violence organizations and local and international humanitarian FGD - focus group discussion organizations working with people affected by the crises GBV – gender-based violence Project team: Peter Prove, Director, Commission of in Iraq and Syria, human rights groups, representatives HRC – Human Rights Commission the Churches on International Affairs, World Council of of religious and ethnic institutions, and members of the HRW - Human Rights Watch Churches; Margrethe Volden, Head of Division for Middle minority and majority communities in the Middle East ICC – International Criminal Court East and Asia, Norwegian Church Aid; Michel Nseir, Region, Norway and Sweden that we have met. We also ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Program Executive, Special Focus on the Middle East, want to highly acknowledge noteworthy contributions in ICERD – International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination World Council of Churches; Carla Khijoyan, Program the drafting and validation process by the NCA and WCC ICESCR – International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Executive for Youth Engagement in the Ecumenical colleagues who participated as readers group members. ICL – international criminal law Movement, World Council of Churches; Erik Apelgårdh, ICMW – International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers Senior Advisor, Church of Sweden /World Council of and Members of their Families Churches; Javier Fabra-Mata, Advisor for Methods, ICRC – International Committee of the Red Cross Photos: Håvard Bjelland/Norwegian Church Aid. Results and Peacebuilding, Norwegian Church Aid; Kjell IDP – internally displaced person Magne Heide, Advisor Accountability and Administration, IHL – international humanitarian law Norwegian Church Aid; Arne Sæverås, Senior Advisor IHRL – international human rights law Peacebuilding, Norwegian Church Aid, World Council of Layout: Martin Berge/Norwegian Church Aid. IILHR – Institute for International Law and Human Rights Churches. IOCC – International Orthodox Christian Charities IOM – International Organization for Migration November 2016. IS – Islamic State KDP – Kurdistan Democratic Party Research contributions: William Carter, PhD KRG – Kurdish Regional Government Candidate; Quinn P. Coffey, PhD; Kat Eghdamian, PhD MRG – Minority Rights Group International Candidate; Javier Fabra-Mata, PhD; Cecilie Hellestveit, NCA – Norwegian Church Aid PhD; Elizabeth Young, Phd Candidate. PKK-YPG – Kurdistan Workers’ Party People’s Protection Units R2P – The Responsibility to Protect UDHR – Universal Declaration of Human Rights Reference Group: Gina Lende, GL Postdoctor (PhD), UNFPA – UN Population Fund Cecilie Hellestveit, Senior Advisor/Researcher (PhD), UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Lisa Winter, Human Rights Advisor, Kari Karame, Senior UNRWA – United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Researcher (PhD), Ingvild Thorson Plesner, Senior USCIRF – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Researcher (PhD), Bendik Sørvig, Researcher, Joanna WCC – World Council of Churches Lilja, Policy Dialogue Middle East, Kat Eghdamian, PhD YBŞ – Yezidi militia group partly established by PKK-YPG Candidate, Berit Hagen Agøy, General Secretary, Berit S. Thorbjørnsrud, Professor (PhD), Knut Vollebækk, Ambassador. Report Reviewers: Georges Fahmi, Research Fellow (PhD), Kathleen Cavanaugh (PhD), William Carter (PhD) Candidate. 2 THE PROTECTION NEEDS OF MINORITIES FROM SYRIA AND IRAQ THE PROTECTION NEEDS OF MINORITIES FROM SYRIA AND IRAQ 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................2 The whole population of Syria and Iraq is feeling the ongoing insecurity and targeted persecution. These Abbreviations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 toll of the armed conflicts in their countries. This report experiences have affected women, men, boys and girls complements the existing information base by improving differently, meaning that their needs vary. Executive summary ..................................................................................................................................5 understanding of the protection needs of religious and ethnic minority groups from Syria and Iraq, including The conflict experiences of Syrians and Iraqis from ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 Introduction those remaining in these countries and those who have minority groups have been similarly diverse, both between Structure ..............................................................................................................................................8 fled to neighbouring countries. and within different religious groups. Consequently, the humanitarian needs of people from minorities vary, as Methodology .........................................................................................................................................9 This report is geared towards humanitarian actors, to help does how best to meet those needs. CHAPTER 1 – The concept of minorities in Iraq and Syria ................................................10 them refine and coordinate efforts to provide life-saving assistance and work towards sustainable long-term Humanitarian responses need to take this diversity into Minorities: A difficult protection concept ..................................................................................................10 solutions for all Syrians and Iraqis. Similarly, the report account in order to meet the critical needs of people Definition of minorities in this report ......................................................................................................10 aims to support Syria, Iraq, neighbouring countries and affected by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq and support donors in their search for better humanitarian responses, them in a sustainable way. They cannot overlook people’s CHAPTER 2 – The social and historical background to conflict in Syria and Iraq �������11 and to inform the most appropriate approaches inability to access assistance because of instability, fear The population of Iraq ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 towards finding durable solutions for displaced minority or lack of trust in key actors. They must also address communities from Syria and Iraq. aid prioritisation and beneficiary criteria that may fuel Background to the current conflict in Iraq ...............................................................................................13 resentment, discrimination and tensions by excluding Discrimination and sectarian violence in Iraq �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������14 The analysis and findings stem from a review of some conflict-affected groups. primary and secondary sources, as well as two specially Islamic State and the impact of current conflict on minorities ��������������������������������������������������������������������15 commissioned research studies, surveys and focus Both gender and age are now well-established concepts The population of Syria �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 groups to gather the views of 4,000 displaced people within the humanitarian sphere. Humanitarian agencies and refugees from Syria and Iraq. Norwegian Church Aid increasingly understand the differing needs and Background to the current conflict in Syria ..............................................................................................19 (NCA) carried out the project, in partnership with the approaches required to support different age groups Discrimination and sectarian violence in Syria prior to 2011 �����������������������������������������������������������������������19
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