The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has launched a new phase of its comprehensive support program for survivors of the ISIS terrorist group's genocide against the Yazidi community. The distribution of financial aid, initiated under the directive of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, began on Tuesday in Sheikhan and will cover the months of May and June.
Under the program, each registered survivor receives a payment of 150,000 Iraqi dinars, with no distinction based on age or gender. In households with more than one survivor, separate payments are made to each eligible individual. More than 3,500 people are expected to benefit from this round.
The distribution is scheduled to continue in the coming days in Sharya, Hanke, and various displacement camps in Duhok province. Azad Murad, Director of the Sheikhan branch of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center, said the aid program is open to all eligible survivors, including those who have not yet completed registration.
Yazidis in the Diaspora Included
Murad stated that the program's scope was expanded on the instructions of Prime Minister Barzani and that Yazidis living in the United States, Canada, Australia, and various European countries can now register through an online portal established for this purpose. This initiative reflects the KRG's effort to make aid accessible regardless of current place of residence.
Psychological Treatment and Educational Support
The financial aid is part of a broader rehabilitation framework designed to address the long-term consequences of ISIS captivity. Mental health services form a key pillar of this strategy. The KRG, in cooperation with German academic institutions, has established the Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology at the University of Duhok. The institute provides free psychotherapy to survivors while also training specialists in trauma-focused care. More than a thousand survivors have been referred to special treatment programs in Germany, while counseling and rehabilitation services are offered in centers working jointly with health authorities in Duhok.
Education is also a fundamental component of the recovery process. In line with Prime Minister Barzani's instructions, the Ministries of Education and Higher Education have implemented measures such as tuition fee waivers, removal of age limits for enrollment, and support up to the university level to enable survivors to continue their interrupted education.
This program, which combines financial aid, trauma care, and educational opportunities, lies at the heart of the KRG's institutional response to the lasting impacts of the ISIS genocide. According to official data, 3,579 abducted Yazidis have been rescued to date, while 242 have lost their lives and approximately 2,596 remain missing.
