Committees' recent meetings - 5 March 2020
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
3 March – The committee visited Erbil International Airport to look into the airport’s measures against the Coronavirus.
The MPs met several officials at the airport and discussed the medical checks and measures the airport is taking to help prevent the virus’s spread.
The airport personnel said that all passengers, both nationals and non-nationals, have their temperature taken on arrival at the airport and those with fever are taken into quarantine.
Any passengers returning from China or Iran are sent straight to quarantine for monitoring, because of the large numbers of cases in those countries.
The MPs and airport personnel also the lack of protective gear for medical staff and airport staff, and the committee pledged to raise this with the relevant authorities.
The committee decided to continue meeting with other authorities who are working to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, and to look into the measures put in place at all the geographic borders of Kurdistan Region.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
3 March – The committee discuss the notes passed to them by Parliament’s Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, regarding religious delegations that will visit Kurdistan Region.
The MPs also discussed requests to establish Islamic studies colleges, and the committee decided to support their requests.
Protection of Women’s Rights Committee
3 March – The committee cancelling their activities and meetings outside Parliament in the month of March. They also discussed working on a Bill on the High Council of Women’s Affairs, and amending the Domestic Violence Law of 2011.
The committee had begun the first phase of their work by holding a Women’s Support Network meeting with Women’s rights NGOs and experts.
The second phase of their work is to meet the government, judges, courts, other MPs. But due to the authorities’ measures against Coronavirus, including cancellation of gatherings, the committee decided to postpone the meetings for the foreseeable future.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
2 March – The committee discussed drafting a Bill on Electronic Media and getting support from MPs to ask Parliament’s Presidency to put the bill forward for a first reading. Currently the bill has 20 articles. The aim of the bill is to organize and regulate electronic media and websites.
Relations and Kurdistan Diaspora Committee
2 March – The Committee discussed all the questions and complaints sent by the public and organisations, replied to some of them and submitted others to Parliament’s Presidency.
The committee chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi (KDP) briefed the MPs on his recent visit abroad to meet MPs of other parliaments.
The committee also discussed creating friendship groups with other parliaments.
Regarding the Bill on the Kurdish Diaspora, the MPs decided to coordinate more closely with the KRG Department of Foreign Relations.
MP Sirwan Baban (New Generation) briefed MPs on his visit to Greece to look into the plight of migrants from Kurdistan who are stranded or have been detained there.
Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Committee
2 March – The committee made their plans for the new spring legislative session, for drafting legislation and scrutinizing the authorities.
The MPs discussed all the notes, complaints and requests sent to them, and responded or forwarded them to the relevant authorities for follow-up.