Erbil in the Kurdistan Autonomous Region of northern Iraq. (Photo: Getty/iStock)
A parliamentary report has called for renewed UK and Iraqi action to protect religious minorities in Iraq, warning that Christians, Yazidis and other vulnerable religious communities continue to face insecurity, displacement and economic pressure despite the territorial defeat of ISIS.
The 28-page report has been published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB) in partnership with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK and BYU Law.
It follows a fact-finding visit to Iraq in February, focused mainly on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), where delegates met government officials, church leaders and representatives of minority communities.
The delegation was warmly received, with several faith leaders describing the visit itself as “a sign of hope.”
The report notes that Iraq’s population is approximately 42 million, of whom around 97% are Muslim. Non-Muslim minorities – including Christians (Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian communities), Yazidis and Sabean-Mandaeans – now account for only 3% of the population, reflecting a steep decline over recent decades due to conflict, persecution, emigration and displacement.
In 2025, Open Doors ranked Iraq 19th on its World Watch List, identifying it as one of the most difficult countries in the world for Christians and other religious minorities.
Presenting the report, APPG FoRB chair Jim Shannon MP said the visit allowed the group to see conditions on the ground for faith communities and human rights in the region.
In the foreword, he said the report records both “the progress observed” and “the ongoing challenges” that remain for religious minorities seeking to live in safety and freedom.
The report paints a mixed picture.
It commends the Kurdistan Regional Government for what it describes as a comparatively strong record on coexistence and minority protection, while also highlighting major unresolved problems across Iraq, including the failure to fully implement the Sinjar Agreement (enabling Yazidis to return to their historic lands), the continuing trauma of the Yazidi genocide, weak accountability for ISIS crimes, and economic hardship that is driving further migration.
Among the several key KRG measures in support of minority communities were continued backing for displacement camps despite financial strain, free land for churches, schools and clinics, and support for social infrastructure intended to help communities remain in the region.
Christian communities were said to value the safety and cooperation they have experienced in the Kurdistan region, especially in comparison with other parts of Iraq.
However, senior church leaders such as Patriarch Mar Awa III of the Assyrian Church of the East (whose Patriarchate is based in Erbil), Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Bishop of Zahko, and Apostolic Administrator of Al Qosh Bishop Felix also warned that unemployment and wider economic strain are pushing many, especially younger people, to emigrate.
Visits to institutions in Ankawa, the Christian-majority suburb of Erbil, were presented as evidence of local resilience and reconstruction.
The report highlights the growth of schools, healthcare and higher education projects there such as Mar Qardakh International School, Maryamana Hospital, and the Catholic University in Erbil – all founded by Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Church – as signs of recovery led by the community itself.
Muslim, Christian and Yazidi students at the Catholic University in Erbil also spoke of a climate of mutual respect and said the university had helped deepen understanding between communities.
Particular concern was raised over the condition of the Yazidi community.
During a visit to the advocacy organisation Yazda in Duhok, delegates heard testimonies about the continuing aftermath of ISIS atrocities including the discovery of 96 mass graves.
The report says around 350,000 Yazidis remain displaced, with over 2,500 still unaccounted for, while militia activity, insecurity and slow reconstruction continue to hinder safe returns to Sinjar.
The delegation also visited Lalish Temple, one of the most sacred places in the Yazidi faith, after being invited by Prince Hazim Tahsin Beg, Prince of the Yazidis, who had previously briefed the group on the situation facing Yazidi IDPs and the failure to implement the Sinjar Agreement.
The overall message of the report is that recovery remains fragile.
In the executive summary, the delegation said it repeatedly encountered “resilience among minority communities”, but also an urgent “need for renewed international support.”
Among its recommendations, the report urges the UK Government to increase diplomatic efforts to support the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, strengthen accountability for ISIS crimes, and maintain regular engagement with Christian and Yazidi leaders.
It also calls for more support for internally displaced people in the Kurdistan region following the withdrawal of USAID and the loss of NGOs, while encouraging the UK to explore trade and investment measures that could boost economic opportunity and help reduce migration pressures.
The Iraqi federal government is urged to improve security for Christians in Mosul and Baghdad, help disarm militias in Sinjar, excavate mass graves, and ensure genuine accountability for ISIS crimes committed against minority communities, including formal recognition of genocide.
It also calls on Baghdad to resolve its budget dispute with the Kurdistan Regional Government, saying this is necessary to unlock development funding and reduce pressure on camps for displaced people, while also improving minority representation and strengthening protections for freedom of religion or belief.
The Kurdistan Regional Government, meanwhile, is praised for efforts already made to shelter displaced minorities and encourage coexistence, but is also encouraged to continue tackling hate speech, financially support traumatised camp populations, and work with minority communities to expand employment opportunities.
While the report praises the Kurdistan region’s relative stability and support for religious minorities, it stresses that unresolved security, political and economic pressures continue to threaten the future of these communities.
