Left Unprotected: Children Born as a Result of Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Gap in Transitional Justice in Iraqi Law

This study addresses the issue of the ‘invisible victims’—children born as a result of conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by ISIS against the Yazidi community and other groups in Iraq in 2014. Whilst the Yazidi Survivors Act represents an important acknowledgement of the crimes of genocide, it suffers from a legislative gap regarding the legal status of these children. The study argues that this legislative omission leads to secondary victimisation, thereby hindering efforts towards transitional justice and social integration.