Director-General's remarks at the Commemoration of the Yazidi Genocide

Commemoration of the Yazidi Genocide
Thursday, 30 July 2026, at 11.00 a.m.
Room XVI, Palais des Nations

Ambassador Céline Jurgensen (Permanent Representative of France),
Ms. Nadia Murad, 
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to join you today as we commemorate the atrocities committed by ISIL/Da’esh against the Yazidi community and pay tribute to the victims, survivors and families whose lives were irrevocably changed by crimes that United Nations investigative mechanisms have found to constitute genocide.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in Geneva and to Nadia’s Initiative for bringing us together on this important occasion.

Nearly twelve years have passed since ISIL/Da'esh launched its brutal assault on the Yazidi community in Sinjar. Yet the unimaginable suffering caused by those heinous crimes did not end when the violence subsided. Many Yazidis remain displaced. Families continue searching for missing loved ones. Women, men and children continue the long journey towards healing and rebuilding their lives.

We must also remember those whose fate remains unknown. Their absence is a continuing source of anguish for families and communities. Supporting efforts to establish the truth, account for the missing, and provide answers to families is both a moral obligation and an essential component of justice.

The United Nations was founded on a determination to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in the dignity and worth of every human being. The prevention of genocide and other atrocity crimes remains one of our most solemn responsibilities. It requires vigilance, political will, accountability and sustained international cooperation.

Justice is essential. Holding those responsible to account affirms that such crimes cannot be committed with impunity. It recognizes the suffering of victims, restores dignity to survivors, and reinforces confidence in the rule of law. Survivors have the right to truth, justice, reparations and meaningful participation in the decisions that affect their future.

At the same time, justice must also be accompanied by long-term support. Survivors need continued access to psychosocial support, healthcare, education and livelihoods. They must be able to participate fully in the recovery and rebuilding of their communities.

This is why a survivor-centred approach is so important. Our efforts must be guided by the voices, experiences and priorities of survivors. Policies and programmes are more effective when they are developed and implemented with them, rather than merely for them.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Geneva has long been a place where the international community comes together to address the world’s most pressing humanitarian and human rights challenges. It is here that Member States, United Nations entities, humanitarian organizations and civil society, including survivors themselves, work to uphold human dignity and strengthen international cooperation.

States bear the primary obligation for preventing and punishing genocide. I therefore echo Secretary-General António Guterres’ call on those States that have not yet done so to accede to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and on all States Parties to fully implement their obligations under it, including by taking effective measures to prevent such crimes and ensure accountability for those responsible for them.

At the same time, preventing future atrocities also demands action across society. It requires all of us to reject hatred, discrimination and dehumanization wherever they appear, and uphold the principles upon which the United Nations was founded: respect for human rights, equality, human dignity and international solidarity.

In this context, I would like to pay particular tribute to Ms. Nadia Murad, whose extraordinary courage and tireless advocacy have transformed personal suffering into a powerful global movement for justice, recognition and the protection of those affected by conflict-related sexual violence. Her work has helped ensure that the experiences of the Yazidi community are neither forgotten nor ignored and that the voices of survivors continue to be heard.

As we remember the victims today, let us also honour the resilience of those who survived. Their determination to rebuild their lives despite unimaginable suffering is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

May today’s commemoration renew our resolve to pursue justice, support survivors, advance accountability, and work together to ensure that such crimes are never repeated.

Thank you.