In May 2025, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) sent a team of forensic experts to Mosul in northern Iraq to conduct a workshop on survivor-centered justice for judges from towns that experienced crimes firsthand committed by the self-declared Islamic State (IS or ISIL). Mosul, located in the Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq, served as the capital for ISIL from 2014 to 2017 and was the site of horrific atrocities, including genocide and systematic sexual slavery, particularly against the Yazidi population.
Through collaboration with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Medical-Legal Directorate, PHR is helping to develop national guidelines that promote ethical, trauma-informed approaches to investigating and documenting sexual violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.
Today, Mosul is at the center of many of Iraq’s efforts to rebuild after ISIL’s occupation in the region ended. The city is the headquarters of the General Directorate for Survivors’ Affairs (GDSA), charged to oversee the implementation of the Yazidi Survivors’ Law and manage reparations for those survivors. Enacted in 2021, the landmark law for survivors of ISIL crimes provides reparations to women, and children who experienced abduction, sexual violence, and other related atrocities. Its passage marked a significant step toward justice and accountability as the law officially recognized that ISIL committed genocide and crimes against humanity.

Survivors applying for benefits – such as receiving a monthly stipend, medical care, rehabilitation, employment opportunities, and other material compensation, are required to file a criminal complaint and submit supporting investigative documentation. To date, more than 2,300 reparation applications have been approved. However, many survivors and eyewitnesses have described experiences of retraumatization and stigmatization when engaging with justice officials due to repeated interviews and the burdensome investigative process. In some cases, survivors are required to recount their experiences in non-confidential settings and without access to psychological support, resulting in serious psychological harm for survivors.
PHR has been deeply engaged with partners in Iraq for more than seven years, providing support to judges and health professionals to strengthen care and justice processes for survivors of sexual violence. Through collaboration with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Medical-Legal Directorate, PHR is helping to develop national guidelines that promote ethical, trauma-informed approaches to investigating and documenting sexual violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. Our ultimate goal with this initiative is to strengthen national justice processes and ensure meaningful support for survivors in their pursuit of redress.
PHR’s workshop in Mosul in May was conducted in close coordination with the Nineveh Court of Appeals and the GDSA. During the session, PHR emphasized the importance of using techniques to reduce retraumatization and ensure that survivors’ needs are prioritized throughout the judicial process. For example, since the GDSA announced that survivors residing abroad can apply for reparations and provide testimony via video conference at Iraqi embassies, PHR included a dedicated session on best practices for conducting remote interviews.
The workshop was held in the Mosul courthouse, a building in the center of the city that was once used by ISIL as a military training center and was severely damaged during the city’s liberation. Today, more than 10 years after ISIL seized control of the city, the reconstructed courthouse not only stands as a testament to resilience and recovery but also symbolizes the country’s efforts to strengthen justice for atrocities committed by ISIL.

The Role of Judges in Survivor-Centered Justice
For PHR, this workshop marked a significant milestone: it was the organization’s first time traveling to and working in Mosul, and the first time that our training was conducted inside a courthouse. Holding the workshop in the courthouse sent a powerful message that judicial authorities in Iraq are committed to delivering more effective and compassionate justice.
The judges’ active engagement reflected a shared commitment to restoring justice in a city that suffered unparalleled human rights violations and wartime destruction. Chief Judge of Ninevah and President of the Court of Appeal Raed al-Mosleh championed holding the training at the courthouse in Mosul. “Using the courthouse as a training venue for an international organization such as PHR sends an important message to the international community. A place that was once a source of violence and chaos has now become a platform for justice and humanity,” he said.

“Using the courthouse as a training venue for an international organization such as PHR sends an important message to the international community. A place that was once a source of violence and chaos has now become a platform for justice and humanity.”
PHR’s trainings have been especially timely as the judiciary in Mosul and throughout the country has shown increasing interest in handling complex cases related to sexual and gender-based violence, which often involve deeply traumatized survivors. This most recent consultation and training workshop focused on best practices for applying a survivor-centered approach to investigating cases presented to criminal courts under the Yazidi Survivors’ Law, with particular attention paid to crimes of sexual violence and slavery committed by ISIL. Among the key best practices we highlighted was to avoid retraumatizing survivors by reducing the number of interviews they are asked to participate in, ensuring safe, confidential, and supportive environments for survivors to share critical testimonies, and actively engaging survivors in the legal process by providing them with clear and comprehensive information at each step of the justice process.
The training was well received according to GSDA General Director Sarab Elyas, who shared the following: “Providing training to judicial professionals alongside representatives from the GDSA is a positive step toward advocating for a safe environment for survivors – one that respects their privacy and offers moral support.”
Through capacity development efforts such as these, PHR is helping our partners advance justice and accountability for survivors of ISIL atrocities. Central to this mission is the organization’s ongoing work to institutionalize survivor-centered policies that respect the dignity, agency, and rights of survivors of sexual violence.
This project is implemented with the support of the Peace & Stabilization Operations Program of the Government of Canada.