Committees’ recent meetings – 26 November 2020
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
22 November - Two subcommittees separately visited Erbil children’s home and Slemani Directorate of Prisons.
The first subcommittee, vice-chair Gulistan Said Muhammad (Change) with Badriya Esmail Mahmud (KIG), met the staff of Slemani’s Directorate of Prisons, visited its departments and met with the prisoners to understand their demands, which they pledged to raise through Parliament’s presidency.
The other subcommittee, led by Zana Mala Khalid (KDP) visited Erbil children’s home to look into the problems for high school graduates who want to go into further or higher education. Thanks to the committee's efforts, two students from the home have been selected to study at two private institutions with full bursaries/grants, and today the institutions wrote to the KRG Minister for Labour and Social Affairs to inform her about the two grants.
Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel and Tourism Committee
23 November - The committee, led by the chair Luqman Wardy (PUK), met the General Director of Water Resources in Kurdistan Region, each governorate’s director of water resources and staff of Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism.
The MPs and government officials discussed the Bill on Conservation of Water Networks and Resources in Kurdistan Region, focusing on the specific articles of the bill.
The government representatives gave theirs views and comments on the bill, and asked for some changes to be made to the draft and for more time to prepare a comprehensive report on the bill. The chair Mr. Wardy asked the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism to provide a full report to refine and enrich the bill ahead of its second reading in Parliament.
The meeting also covered the problem of household water meters. The MPs asked for a solution that takes into acocunt the public’s financial means.
The committee and the government representatives agreed to have ongoing cooperation.
Finance and Economic Affairs Committee
23 November - The committee, led by the chair Ziyad Jabbar (PUK) held their regular meeting.
All the notes and requests sent to the committee were followed up and received detailed replies.
The MPs completed their assessment of the KRG’s report on its implementation of the Reform Law.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
23 November - The committee, led by the chair Romeo Hakari (National Union Coalition), held their regular meeting.
The subcommittees’ visits to the prisons directorates and childrens home in Slemani and Erbil were discussed.
The MPs discussed demands and requests sent by the public that they have raised with the relevant authorities and are continuing to receive and follow up.
They also discussed the draft amendments prepared by the US NGO, the Institute for International Law and Human Rights (IILHR), to the Law on the Rights and Privileges of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs. The committee has had several meetings with the IILHR regarding amending the law.
The committee decided prepare their work plan for the next six months, which will include working on several laws such as a child adoption bill and labour laws, meetings with the Judicial Council and the public prosecutor, and more visits to prisons to following up on some issues.
Peshmerga Committee
23 November – Members of the committee, led by the chair Reving Heruri (KDP), visited the Peshmerga training centre in Khenes, Shekhan District and then visited all the departments of Zakho Military Academy.
The MPs looked into detail at the training program and methods, and the Peshmerga’s problems and demands.
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
23 November –The committee, led by the chair Dr. Sabah Zebari (KDP), met with the KRG Health Minister Dr. Saman Barzinji and his staff to discuss the health situation during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic in the Kurdistan Region.
Minister Barzinji made a comprehensive presentation about the ministry’s departments, statistics on healthcare centres, public and private hospitals, healthcare employees, costs, patient numbers, surgeries and treatments.
The health minister highlighted the continuing dangers of the Coronavirus and said: "So far in Kurdistan Region 93,433 people have been infected with the virus and 2,994 have died.”
He asked the public to follow protective measures and wear masks. In the past week the infection rate has decreased from previous weeks.
The MPs raised many problems and cases and put many questions to the minister and his staff, especially on the lack of medication for treating Coronavirus patients in some hospitals and the high price of the Coronavirus test, especially at border checkpoints and in special hospitals.
Statement by Protection of Women's Rights Committee on International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women
Unfortunately in the past few years there continue to be cases of murder of women, which only serves to reaffirm the importance of us working together to eliminate violence against women in Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Parliament, the KRG and the justice system, together with organisations specialized in working on women's cases including cases of violence, can combat these crimes through the law and the courts.
Undoubtedly the Coronavirus pandemic has brought about many changes, including changes to data collection methods, so we need to find new ways to eliminate violence.
Although new laws and important amendments regarding women’s rights have been passed in Kurdistan Region in recent years, we need a detailed amendment to the law to combat violence against women, so that we can deploy new tools to combat these crimes.
We condemn all forms and acts of violence against all women in Kurdistan Region.
Committee on Protection of Women's Rights
25 November 2020 - International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women
Integrity Committee
25 November - The committee, led by the chair Shirin Amin (Change), held their regular meeting.
Discussions were held on the issue of household water meters, and the committee decided to ask companies that take water meter readings for a meeting to get more information about the issue.
All the reports and notes sent to the committee were read and received replies, or were directed to the relevant authorities for investigation and follow-up.
The committee decided to meet with Chalang Organisation, which has raised allegations of corruption in contracts between the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism and two companies, Paya and Halmat.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
24 November - Members of the committee, led by the chair Salma Fatih Tawfiq (PUK), in cooperation with Ashti and Azadi organisations, held an open discussion on civil society organizations and the obstacles facing them in their work in Erbil.
Ms. Fatih and Mr. Faisal Abbas (PUK) participated in the discussion. Ms. Fatih briefed the seminar on Parliament’s work and stressed the importance of civil society organizations for enriching individuals’ culture and knowledge, developing volunteer work and reaching out internationally.
The participants representing the organizations explained the obstacles to their work and asked the committee for improvements to be made. The committee pledged to submit a report of their findings and raise the demands with Parliament’s presidency.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
24 November – Committee members Mam Burhan Muhammad (New Generation) and Goran Omer Ali (Change), met with the Ministry of Youth and Culture’s General Directorate of the Diwan and other staff, to enquire about the lease of a plot of land owned by the Ministry, located in the courtyard of Slemani’s General Directorate of Culture.
The details, pros and cons of the contract in terms of the public interest were discussed. Both sides agreed to meet again in the next few days, and the committee asked for a report on the case so that a final decision can be made on it.