Emerging Land Tenure Issues Among Displaced Yazidis from Sinjar, Iraq: How chances of return may be further undermined by a discrimination policy dating back 40 years

The escalation of violence which led to the take over of Mosul by ISIL fighters in early June 2014 caused the movement of over 3 million Iraqi to neighbouring governorates and central and south Iraq. Over 275,000 people from Sinjar are estimated to be currently living in IDP camps,unfinished buildings and rented accommodation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. One particular community was particularly affected by ISIL’s occupation: the Yazidi religious minority notoriously suffered – and is still suffering –innumerable atrocities deliberately targeting their community.

The present report aims to provide a better understanding of how the convergence of several circumstances, related to past discriminatory policies, forced relocation, double displacement and lack of tenure security may seriously affect the prospects of return of the Yazidi IDP community to their homeland in Sinjar. Also available in Arabic.