Iraq, July 3rd 2024

August 3rd, 2024, marks 10 years since the beginning of the Yazidi genocide committed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State in the Levant and Iraq (ISIL). The Yazidi community and other ethnic and religious indigenous groups, will be under media spotlight, particularly survivors. Over the past decade, NGOs, survivors and researchers have witnessed unethical and harmful behaviors by media practitioners, including stigmatizing survivors, putting them at risk of further violence, and sharing identifiable information without their informed consent. 

To encourage ethical reporting, Yazda and Taboo LCC developed a short guide for the media, with practical advice and requests on how to ethically engage with survivors and report on the genocide, with a list of accessible resources. 

We ask the media, in Iraq and all over the world to: 

1. Inform yourself about the genocide against the Yazidis and other targeted communities before interacting with survivors.

2. Produce purposeful materials which platform demands and needs expressed by the affected communities. 

3. Obtain informed consent from survivors before proceeding with media interviews.

4. Engage with survivors in an ethical, trauma-informed and survivor-centered manner.

5. Do not stigmatize survivors.

Read the guide available in English, Arabic, Sorani and French for more detailed advice on ethical engagement with survivors.

This short guide does not mean to be exhaustive, and Yazda and Taboo LLC remain available for further questions or advice on how to ethically engage with genocide survivors. 

Let's all work together to ensure survivors' safety, consent and agency is respected and prioritized by media practitioners in Iraq and all over the world.