The Yazidi Doctor Giving Life Back to Survivors of Islamic State Captivity

Shireen's Ordeal: Kidnapping and Captivity in Sinjar

Shireen was studying for a high school examination at her home in the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar on 3 August 2014 when Islamic State group militants broke into her house and kidnapped her from her family. At the age of 19 she was sold as a sex slave to an IS militant in the north-western city of Tal Afar. Three months later Shireen was sold once again to Abu Omar another IS fighter in Mosul to become his third wife. She recounts how Abu Omar already had two Iraqi wives who lived in a separate house yet used to beat her whenever they got together.

Shireen explains that Abu Omar told her he loved her but she notes that when you love someone you do not rape her and that it destroyed her life. For more than two years she was not allowed to leave the house in Mosul. She was forced to cook wash the dishes and clean every day. There were two guards at the entrance of the house and she was not allowed to go outside or even to the garden to breathe fresh air. According to Shireen Abu Omar later brought two other Yazidi girls to the house one was six years old and was forced to clean the house while the other was 10.

Shireen was raped frequently by Abu Omar and she says she tried to stop him but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Yazidis believe in Yasdan a god who emanates seven angels. The angel they revere above all others is Melek Tawwus or the Peacock Angel but Shireen was told by IS that Melek Tawwus was the devil and so was forced to convert to Islam. Her story is just one from the thousands of stories recounted by Yazidi women who have experienced the raw cruelty of IS.

The Yazidi Genocide: UN Designation and Scale of Atrocities

In 2014 IS seized almost a third of Iraq. At least 12,000 Yazidis were killed or kidnapped as part of what the United Nations describes as an ongoing genocide against the religious minority. This designation underscores the systematic nature of the violence targeting the Yazidi community in northern Iraq particularly around Sinjar and surrounding areas. The scale of the atrocities reflects a deliberate campaign of extermination and enslavement that has left deep scars on the population.

According to Hussein al-Qaidi the director of the Kidnapped Affairs department at the Kurdistan Regional Government in Duhok 2,023 Yazidi women have been liberated from IS territories as of July 2018. These figures highlight the extent of the kidnapping operations carried out by IS militants who targeted Yazidi families across multiple towns and cities including Mosul and Tal Afar. The liberation numbers represent only a fraction of those initially taken highlighting the ongoing crisis faced by the community.

The genocide has resulted in widespread loss with many families still searching for missing relatives years later. Shireen notes that her uncle and many of her friends were killed by IS while her father and one of her sisters have been missing since 2014 after they were also taken. She describes the horror by stating it is too horrible the skeletons of my uncle and my friends are under the ground. Such accounts illustrate the enduring impact of the UN-recognized genocide on individual lives and the broader Yazidi population.

Dr Nagham Nawzat: Background Medical Training and Dedication

Born in Mosul to a Yazidi family in 1976 Dr Nagham Nawzat held a lifelong dream to study medicine. Concerned about women's issues from an early age she graduated with a degree in gynaecology from Mosul's Medical College in 2002. She explains that she wanted to better understand issues related to women's health teach women about health care and provide support for them. This early commitment shaped her career path toward addressing the specific needs of women in vulnerable situations.

Nawzat is highly respected among the Yazidi community. According to Hussein al-Qaidi she has provided life-saving support to more than half of the liberated women helping an estimated 1,200 Yazidi women. Her work extends beyond medical treatment to include emotional guidance that has proven essential for survivors adjusting to life after captivity. This dedication has earned her trust within the community as a reliable figure for those seeking recovery.

Upon her release in 2016 Shireen visited Dr Nagham Nawzat a Yazidi gynaecologist in the city of Duhok in Iraq's Kurdish region for a check-up. Nawzat not only gave her a physical examination but she also listened to Shireen and offered her emotional support. Shireen states that Dr Nawzat helped all of us without her help I would not be here today. After coming back from captivity Dr Nawzat sat down with me and told me that I was brave and that she loves her so much.

The UNFPA-Funded Duhok Survivors' Centre: Iraq's Sole Facility

In 2015 Nawzat decided to join the Duhok Survivors' Centre where she volunteers to provide healthcare and psychological support for Iraqi women who survived IS. Funded by the United Nations Population Fund it is the only facility in Iraq that specialises in gender-based violence. This unique status makes the centre a critical resource for survivors seeking specialized care that addresses both physical and emotional trauma resulting from captivity.

The centre offers medical and psychological support including reconstructive surgeries for physical injuries and access to mental health professionals. Nawzat uses a post-traumatic medical approach commonly found in Iraq. Afterwards she conducts a thorough physical check-up and then listens attentively as her patients talk about their fears and their traumatising experiences. She offers them support and positive reinforcement like a big sister the survivors can confide in.

By creating a relationship with her patients based on mutual trust Nawzat enables them to confide in her and reveal their deepest emotions and fears with ease. The UNFPA funding ensures that the facility can operate as the sole dedicated space for gender-based violence support across the country. This role has positioned the Duhok Survivors' Centre as an essential hub for Yazidi women returning from IS captivity in areas such as Mosul and Tal Afar.

Ongoing Challenges: Stigma Community Rejection and Personal Threats

Many of the survivors face ongoing stigma from their own communities with some families rejecting women who were held captive by IS. This rejection compounds the trauma experienced during captivity and creates barriers to reintegration into daily life. Nawzat works to counter these attitudes by providing consistent emotional reinforcement that helps survivors rebuild a sense of self-worth despite societal pressures.

Nawzat has faced threats on her own life for her work. Despite the dangers she continues to provide essential support travelling across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to reach women in need. These threats highlight the risks involved in addressing gender-based violence in a region still recovering from IS control where traditional attitudes toward survivors persist.

The challenges extend to practical aspects of recovery such as the inability to resume normal activities without fear. Shireen describes how after more than two years of captivity she suffered from depression and constant nightmares that prevented her from sleeping. Such conditions are exacerbated by community stigma making the support at the Duhok Survivors' Centre even more vital for those navigating rejection and threats.

International Recognition: The International Women of Courage Award

In March 2016 Nawzat received the International Women of Courage Award from then-US Secretary of State John Kerry for providing psychological support to traumatised Yazidi survivors and for combating gender-based violence. This recognition brought global attention to her efforts at the Duhok Survivors' Centre and underscored the importance of addressing the specific needs of women affected by the Yazidi genocide.

The award highlights Nawzat's role in supporting an estimated 1,200 women out of the 2,023 liberated by July 2018 according to Hussein al-Qaidi. It serves as acknowledgment of the centre's unique position as Iraq's only facility specialising in gender-based violence funded by the United Nations Population Fund. Such international validation has helped sustain the work amid ongoing challenges including threats to her safety.

John Kerry presented the award in recognition of Nawzat's commitment to listening to survivors and offering positive reinforcement during their recovery. This global honor reflects the broader impact of her medical training from Mosul's Medical College and her decision to focus on Yazidi women returning from captivity in places like Mosul and Sinjar. The recognition continues to inspire efforts to support those affected by the UN-designated genocide.

The Path Forward: Rebuilding Lives After Captivity

Shireen was released by Iraqi forces in 2016 during the campaign to retake Mosul from IS. After more than two years of captivity she began the process of recovery with support from Dr Nagham Nawzat at the Duhok Survivors' Centre. This liberation marked the start of efforts to address depression nightmares and the loss of family members including her missing father and sister.

The path forward involves accessing the medical and psychological services available at the UNFPA-funded facility which remains the only one of its kind in Iraq. Nawzat's approach of thorough check-ups followed by attentive listening helps survivors like Shireen develop trust and share their experiences. This method supports gradual rebuilding of lives disrupted by the events of 3 August 2014 and subsequent captivity.

Rebuilding also requires navigating the broader context of the Yazidi genocide where 12,000 were killed or kidnapped and only 2,023 women had been liberated by July 2018. Continued support from figures like Nawzat who travels across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ensures that survivors can find pathways to healing despite stigma and threats. The work at the Duhok Survivors' Centre provides a foundation for long-term recovery and community reintegration.