Pari Ibrahim is the founder and Executive Director of the Free Yezidi Foundation (FYF). Born in Iraq and of Yezidi descent, Ms. Ibrahim fled the country as a child with her family in 1991 during the Saddam Hussein regime, eventually settling in the Netherlands and now residing in the United States.
In response to the Yezidi Genocide committed by ISIS in Sinjar, Northern Iraq in August 2014, Ms. Ibrahim established FYF to support the Yezidi community and raise awareness of the plight of survivors. The foundation advocates for the rights of women and religious and ethnic minorities and pursues justice for Yezidi Genocide survivors. FYF operates in Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with headquarters in the United States and the Netherlands.
FYF has implemented a range of programs, including the establishment of women’s and children’s centers, collaboration with international justice mechanisms and law enforcement agencies to hold ISIS perpetrators accountable, and the creation of an enterprise and training center. This center provides comprehensive services to women, girls, and survivors of SGBV, offering mental healthcare, education, livelihood opportunities, and legal aid. Additionally, FYF is among the leading Yezidi civil society organizations advocating for increased humanitarian and human rights support for the Yezidi community.
Ms. Ibrahim envisions an Iraqi society where Yezidis enjoy equal rights and opportunities. She is a staunch advocate for the empowerment and equal rights of women and girls, including within the Yezidi community.
Ms. Ibrahim has delivered speeches at institutions around the world, including the UN Security Council and UK Parliament. She has published pieces in numerous media outlets, including the Washington Post, the Guardian, and many others. Ms. Ibrahim holds a law degree from the University of Amsterdam and speaks Kurmanji, Dutch, and English.
Ashley Jordana is a Canadian international lawyer and consultant. Her specialized interest lies in the strategic investigation and prosecution of international crimes committed against children. Between 2016-2021, Ashley was the Secretary and Senior Legal Advisor for Global Rights Compliance. In this capacity, Ashley managed GRCs investigations and strategic litigation portfolio across Syria, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, The Gambia, Bangladesh, The Philippines, Venezuela, and Ukraine. In May 2016, Ashley joined the Stanisic and Simatovic legal team as a senior legal consultant before the United Nations International Residual Mechanism which concluded in July 2021. Ashley is currently a consultant with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Emergent Justice Collective, a feminist-led, trauma-informed organisation currently in its founding phase. Ashley is a rostered expert with Justice Rapid Response for international crimes against children. She holds a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) and Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from the University of Notre Dame.
Alisa Jamalyan is a young Armenian scholar at the Democracy Study Center at GPUS and a researcher at the Yerevan State University. She graduated with a Master’s degree from the Center for European Studies at the Yerevan State University and School of Liberal Politics. Since childhood, she has always been interested in human rights, especially minority rights. Alisa has been surrounded by national and gender minorities who face discrimination in her neighborhood on a regular basis. Her scope of academic interests include refugee rights and migration policies, national minority rights and gender equality, democracy-building processes in the South Caucasus, and women’s participation in civic life. Alisa has worked at the Economic Research and Development Support Centre NGO, GIZ Armenia, and a number of NGOs striving for establishing equality in Armenia and in the region. She has contributed to fundraising in an effort to increase democratic practices in Armenia. She has also been a facilitator/tutor during different trainings and seminars on women’s rights, children’s best interests, and European policies organized in Armenia and abroad. Alisa is a Young European Ambassador in Armenia and she is passionate about tolerance towards diversity, equality, and acceptance of every person and advancing a liberal society in Armenia and beyond.
FYF works to support the most vulnerable members of the Yezidi community by providing them with education, economic empowerment, post-trauma treatment, and access to justice. If you want your donations to have a real impact on the lives of women and children affected by conflict, please consider giving to FYF today.
