Sinjar Agreement Mediation and Dialogue

Project Description

Sinjar, a district nestled in north-west parts of Iraq’s Nineveh Governorate, became tragically infamous in 2014 due to the ruthless onslaught of the Islamic State (IS) on this area. This assault sparked a crisis of immense proportions, especially for the Yazidi living in Sinjar. The Yazidis, a community with deep roots in the region, faced brutal persecution as IS branded them heretics, causing harrowing exodus, with many Yazidis fleeing to the safety atop Mount Sinjar to escape the violence. The world watched in horror as reports of massacres and atrocities emerged, prompting a global outcry and urgent humanitarian efforts to assist the displaced. after intense fighting and with the support of international allies, Sinjar was liberated from IS’s grip in late 2015. However, the scars of this dark chapter remain, and the road to recovery is long and arduous, as the majority of the ethnoreligion is still in displacement in camps within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), large-scale destructions are visible across the district of Sinjar whereas numerous armed groups roam around. Efforts have been made to rebuild Sinjar and bring back stability to this bordering region. Security concerns, political tensions, and the need for reconciliation efforts all underscore the complexity of the dynamics and the difficulty of the task.

Utilizing a mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative methodology, this research ultimately aims to facilitate Sinjar’s transition from a state of heightened tension and uncertain prospects to one characterized by stability, security, and normalcy. This entails multiple objectives including: enhancing stakeholders’ comprehension of the socio-political and security challenges confronting the Sinjar area, including identifying existing gaps, obstacles, and potential pathways for progress within the Sinjar Agreement; fostering increased collaboration among diverse ethnic, religious, and political factions within Sinjar to collectively tackle shared governance hurdles; and bolstering public trust in governance structures among Sinjar’s populace, with a particular emphasis on marginalized groups such as women, youth, and displaced individuals.