Committees’ recent meetings – 15 January 2020
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Committees prepare their final joint report on Reform Bill
14 January - The relevant Parliament committees met to work on their final joint report on the Reform Bill. They discussed the comments and suggestions that MPs made at the Bill’s second reading in the chamber earlier this week, and how to incorporate them into their final report.
The Legislative, Finance, Interior, Martyrs’ Affairs and Peshmerga committees, with Minister for the Region for Parliament Affairs Dr. Vala Fareed, and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Amanj Rahim, discussed how to unify and incorporate MPs’ comments on the Bill into the final report.
MPs will vote on the Reform Bill on Thursday 16 January. They will vote on the bill’s stated objective, title, on each article of the bill and on the bill as a whole. Each amendment suggested by MPs to the original version of the bill will be read out and put to voting.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
14 January - MPs from the committee Mr. Zana Mala Khalid (KDP) and Ms. Shirin Younis (PUK) met with the Anti-Violence Group.
The group discussed their plans to prevent violence and human rights abuse by providing awareness-raising sessions in the Kurdistan Region. The meeting also stressed the need for cooperation by all sides for the benefit of Kurdistani society.
The Anti-Violence group includes representatives from the Government security forces (asayish), UNAMI, civil society organizations, the NGO Heartland Alliance, several KRG ministries and boards including the ministries of interior and health and the Independent Board of Human Rights.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
15 January – The committee, led by the chair Abdulsatar Majeed (KIG), discussed all the suggestions and opinions that they received from the government on the Agricultural Insurance Bill, which currently consists of 12 articles. The committee members agreed to submit their final report on the Bill to Parliament’s Presidency so that in can be scheduled for its second reading (detailed debate) in the chamber. The Bill’s first reading took place on 13 November 2019.
Integrity Committee
14 January - The committee, led by the chair Ms. Shirin Amin (Change), held their regular meeting. They decided to form several sub-committees to follow up on the public’s demands and complaints regarding waste and misuse of public funds.
The MPs also discussed the notes and complaints sent by the public, some were answered and the others sent were sent to the relevant authorities for follow-up.