Committees' recent meetings - 16 September 2020
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament Committees' recent meetings and activities:
Peshmerga Affairs Committee
15 September - The committee, led by the chair Reving Heruri (KDP), discussed a bill (draft law) on honouring veteran Peshmerga and fighters of the Kurdistan liberation movement, which was prepared by the High Council of the Peshmerga Veterans Association and by the Gulan Foundation. They also discussed a similar bill proposed by the Erbil Branch of the Peshmerga Veterans Association and the Veteran Fighters Organization.
The MPs gave their views on the existing Peshmerga Law (Law No. 9 of 1992).
The committee replied to requests and notes sent by the public, and forwarded some to Parliament’s Presidency for more work.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
15 September - The committee, led by the chair led by Hawre Mala Star (PUK),
The subcommittees that had made fact-finding visits to the three governorates to look into housing units, tenants, roads and investment projects, shared their reports and findings. The committee decided to send the reports to Parliament’s Presidency for the required action.
The MPs replied to the demands and complaints sent to the committee and directed some to the relevant authorities for investigation and resolution.
Protection of Women’s Rights Committee
14 September – The committee, led by the chair Lanja Dizayee (KDP), met to discuss the killing of two sisters in the town of Chamchamal. The MPs formed two subcommittees, one to investigate whether domestic violence has increased in the Coronavirus pandemic, and the other to visit Chamchamal next week to look into the killing of the two young women.
The committee decided to meet with women's organizations to discuss coordinated strategies to prevent domestic violence.
Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Committee
14 September – Members of the committee, led by the rapporteur Galawej Obeid Osman (KDP) visited the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and met with the Deputy Minister and several general directors.
They discussed the university and institute student admissions system for this academic year, which before Coronavirus was the ‘line’ system, or the credits system for some special sections. The Deputy Minister gave a detailed explanation of the admissions process.
The MPs called for the number of university places to be increased, particularly in the colleges of medicine, and demanded that the price of fee-paying places be lowered, particularly for those who entered university last year.
They asked when universities will resume and about teachers’ salaries. They also discussed how to address complaints and demands from students, teachers and other education employees.
The MPs then visited Salahaddin University’s College of Education to meet with the deans and acadmic staff, and looked into their Coronavirus containment measures for the new academic year.