1. Background
On 3 August 2014, the Islamic State group (ISIS) attacked the Yazidi community of Sinjar, northern Iraq. An estimated 9,900 Yazidis were killed or kidnapped within a few days , and by March 2015, half a million were displaced . Yazidis are an ethno-religious minority group that have been persecuted for many years, but this was an unprecedented act of violence. Both the United Nations and Iraqi Parliament have recognised the mass killings of Yazidis as an act of genocide .
With support from the Australian government, the Building Peaceful Futures (BPF) Consortium has been supporting the re-establishment of basic services and inclusive social support in Sinjar since 2019. Considering the vulnerability of children and the young age structure of the Yazidi and Iraqi population , it is critical to shine a child-focused lens on the situation of Yazidis today. This concept note outlines initial ideas for a proposed study on the current outlook of Yazidi children in Sinjar. The scope is intentionally inclusive, with a focus on gender and persons with disabilities, and involving meaningful and ethical child participation .
What do we already know about the unique needs of Yazidi children in the context of recovery and stabilisation?
Evidence shows that ISIS targeted Yazidis differently depending on their gender and age, but children were disproportionately affected . In Kocho, Sinjar, around one in four of the village’s 1,200 population was under 10 years old at the time of ISIS’s attack, and 48% under 20 years. While Yazidi children were as likely as adults to be executed by ISIS, they made up 93% of those who died on Mount Sinjar from starvation, dehydration or injuries. An estimated two thirds of Yazidi victims reported dead or missing were males, while many women were kidnapped and suffered incomprehensible violations. These numbers and experiences have implications for the community and familial support structures that Yazidi children are growing up in, as well as direct effects for Yazidi child survivors.
Concerns about the mental health and increased incidence of suicides among young Yazidis were documented even before ISIS’s attack in 2014 . Both children and carers in Sinjar have since witnessed or experienced extreme brutality during the conflict and there is evidence of continuing high levels of distress. A study focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among displaced ethno-religious groups in the Kurdish Region of Iraq, found a higher rate among Yazidi participants (70%) compared to Muslim (44%) and Christian (32%) participants . Similarly, a study of 416 Yazidi women and girls aged 17-75 years living in internal displacement camps, found more than 80% of participants, and almost all those who were previously enslaved by ISIS, met criteria for PTSD diagnosis . The evidence suggests that Yazidi children’s mental health has been affected too. For example, among a sample of 49 displaced Yazidi children aged 8-15 years old living in Khanak camp, Duhok, in 2016-2017, more than half suffered from psychological problems . This is corroborated by research conducted by Save the Children which highlighted the negative effects of war and displacement on children’s mental health in other conflict-affected areas of Iraq .
2. Rationale for the Childhood in the shadows of ISIS
While existing research has called for a specific focus on Yazidi children, including child survivors where appropriate, there is very limited understanding on the enduring implications of the genocide on younger children. Many Yazidis who were just infants when they lost mothers, fathers and extended family to the genocide are now aged between 7 and 17 years old. The first decade of their life has been characterised by displacement, intense grief and loss.
In the context of displacement and durable solutions, Save the Children emphasises the importance of a child’s ability to obtain psychosocial, physical, material, and legal safety, all of which are crucial for children to survive, learn and be protected. Yet there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the situation of Yazidi children. Even more so, there is little insight into how humanitarian actors can take a child centred multi sector approach to healing, social cohesion and recovery within the Sinjar context.
As Iraq transitions from humanitarian response to development, dedicated research is required to better understand the perspectives, needs and wants of children and their carers, to enable targeted and sustainable support.
2.1 Specific objectives of the study
• To document the current state of life for Yazidi children in Sinjar, including gendered experiences and children with disabilities.
• To identify the main barriers to survival, learning and child protection in Sinjar (Note, these are SC’s breakthroughs)
• To identify children’s current stressors in terms of their psychosocial, physical, material and legal safety
• To document and analyze hopes and aspirations of Yazidi children
• To identify various ways through which a child-centered approach can help in strengthening social cohesion in Sinjar
2.2 Research Questions
With the existing evidence and gaps outlined above, we propose an in-depth bottom-up study on the outlook of Yazidi children in Sinjar today. The overall research question is:
“How has growing up within a persecuted ethno-religious community directly and indirectly affected the needs, experiences and aspirations of Yazidi girls and boys today, as seen from the perspectives of children and their carers?”
Sub questions may include:
• How is life now for Yazidi children in Sinjar, including gendered experiences and children with disabilities?
• What are the main barriers to children in Sinjar surviving, learning and being protected?
• What are children’s current stressors in terms of their psychosocial, physical, material and legal safety?
• What are the hopes and aspirations of Yazidi children for the future?
• How can a child-centred approach help to strengthen social cohesion in Sinjar
3. Methodology
The study will involve three main stages of data collection and analysis;
1. The first phase of the study will be a thorough desk-based review of existing literature on Yazidi children in Sinjar. This will involve both peer-reviewed and grey literature. The findings of the literature review will help to inform the specific gaps and priorities of the subsequent primary data collection phases.
2. The second phase will be a scoping consultation of key informants in Sinjar. This will involve conversations with key stakeholders and gatekeepers in the community, to guide the design of the data collection tools for stage three.
3. The third stage involves child-friendly primary data collection to address specific gaps that emerge from phases one and two. We anticipate the focus to be on children aged 7-17 and their carers, though the exact age groups will be defined by the study team. The current rationale is based on inclusion of girls and boys in line with the UNCRC definition of children who experienced:
• Direct effects of the 2014 ISIS attack and conflict, including children under 7 years old in 2014 who were more likely to be able to stay with their mothers; children above 7 years old in 2014 whose situation was less known; and children born to ISIS fathers;
• Indirect effects of growing up in the shadows of the ISIS attack and conflict.
Sites in Sinjar will be selected based on criteria such as existing community relationships in BPF programme locations, and include returnees, camps, and informal settlements.
The consultant will work very closely with the technical support team from Save the Children to so as to produce a detailed study design as well as its implementation, the technical support team will comprise:
• Child participation and research expert from Save the Children’s global network;
• Technical expert on children’s mental health in conflict affected contexts;
• Local researchers and programme staff, ideally collaborating with Yazidi civil society groups (e.g. Yazda, Nadia’s Initiative, AMAR Foundation), and universities in Iraq.
Child friendly participatory approaches may include methodologies such as risk mapping, dot voting, and yes, no, maybe, based on Save the Children’s experience of leading child-focused research in other displacement contexts . The approaches will be tailored to specific age groups, such as 7-10, 11-14 and 15-17 years.
3.1 Description of the Study population
• Children aged 7-17
• Carers of Children aged 7-17
Note: Methodology and Sampling strategy; the consultant is at liberty to propose suitable methodology and sampling techniques with a study population of children and their carers
3.2.Tools:
The Consultant is responsible for developing research tools with technical and logistical support from SC and Local Researchers
3.3 Ethical approval procedures
Ethical research and safeguarding are critical for all human subject research, especially as this study involves children, participants who may have experienced distressing events, and a pandemic. The research protocol will be reviewed by Save the Children Ethics Committee, in addition to any local ethics review.
There will be a strong focus on public dissemination of the research outputs before the end of 2021. Depending on budget, this could include a roundtable event, as well as a child-friendly
publication and dissemination of findings.
4. Scope of Work
The consultant will be expected to:
• Review existing literature on child abuse
• Develop a draft research protocol, consolidate feedback from SC and partners and create a finalized research protocol
o Protocol should include sample design
• Develop the research tools, including consent forms
• Collect qualitative and quantitative data on all research questions
• Before writing the final report, the consultant should have:
o Data findings meeting with staff to review main findings and possible “interpretations” of what the data mean and
o A meeting with SC to review a draft version of the final report.
• Write a final report covering all the research questions
5. Consultant Responsibilities
The consultant shall carry out the following activities:
Activity 1 – Design and field test the research tools
Activity 2a – Sampling:
Activity 2b – Plan, design and implement training enumerators and supervisors:
Activity 3 – Implement and supervise field data collection, data input and cleaning:
Activity 4 –Analyze and synthesize data; report preparation
Activity 5 – Conduct final presentation.
6. Deliverables, timelines and costs
6.1 Deliverables
• Provide inception report, outlining the key scope of the work
• Data collection tools
• Collect and analyse data
• Present a preliminary report to Save the Children for review to allow SC staff and partners make recommendations.
• Finalize and present the research report
• Produce a PowerPoint presentation and a research brief/Summary
• Share raw and cleaned data in soft copy with Save the Children
6.2 Study proposed timeline and costs
The consultancy is expected to start in July 2021 and be completed not later November 2021.
The consultant should propose the cost of undertaking the study, this should be part of the submitted proposal and will be reviewed and agreed upon with Save the Children.
Key timelines include;
N.O Activities Timelines
1 Identification of the consultant July
2 Finalise methodology, tools , July
3 Ethic approval July
4 Enumerators’ training August
5 Data collection September
6 Analysis and report writing Oct – November
7 Final report November
7. Consultant Profile
a. Individual with proven competence in executing research both in development discourse and academia
b. Additional experience in conducting large scale studies on Child protection and children’s mental health in conflict affected contexts
c. The Lead Researcher should have a minimum of a masters’ degree in the relevant study fields
d. Minimum 5 years of experience in managing similar studies.
e. Good understanding of Children’s mental health and Child protection. All these competencies and experiences should be reflected in consultant or consultant team’s CV(s).
f. Experience in group facilitation.
g. Familiar with Iraq context.
h. Strong analysis skills and logical thinking.
8. Proposal Requirements
a. Format
i. Proposals may be submitted electronically.
b. Length
i. The proposal should not exceed 20 pages. The technical section may not exceed 10 pages.
ii. The suggested breakdown is as follows:
1. Cover page (1 pg)
2. Organizational profile, institutional capacity (4 pgs)
3. Technical approach/Methodology (10 pgs)
4. Cost Narrative (5 pgs)
a. Annex Material (CVs, letters of support, etc.)
b. Cost estimates: Applicants must provide a detailed financial proposal that covers the following items and includes a narrative on the assumptions behind their estimates:
1. Salaries. Includes personnel for technical assistance, data collection, data entry and analysis (e.g. staff, interviewers, data entry personnel, supervisors and drivers).
2. Daily costs for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses during training and during fieldwork; mode of transportation; vehicle rental; gasoline (breakdown items)
3. Logistics/supplies for fieldwork.
4. Training costs.
9. Research concepts and terminologies
Concept
Definition and explanation
Children
Children are defined in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), as every human being below the age of 18 years.
Persecution
The International Criminal Court Statute defines persecution as “the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or collectivity”.
Social cohesion
The “glue” that unites a society in which individuals, groups and institutions having different beliefs or goals can co-exist in harmony (Nonviolent Peaceforce).
Gender
The social attributes, norms and hierarchies that are constructed by people and systemically privilege some groups over others. Gender is not binary.
Persons with disabilities
Defined in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as “people who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, and who, in interaction with various barriers, may be hindered in their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”.
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