Committees' recent meetings - 14 April 2021
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament's committees' recent work and activities:
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
12 April - The committee, led by the chair Salma Fatih (PUK), welcomed Mr. Azad Hamad Amin, the head of the Journalists Syndicate.
They discussed the draft resolution on Kurdish Journalism Day, and Mr. Hamad Amin made a number of suggestions and notes on the draft.
The committee decided to brief Parliament's Presidency about the meeting in writing.
The same day a subcommittee, led by the vice-chair Jalal Pareshan (KDP), visited the Erbil Directorate of National Arts and Culture, to investigate its administrative problems. After hearing the complaints and problems from the director and staff, the subcommittee decided to raise the issues in writing to the committee and then Parliament's Presidency.
Martyrs’ Affairs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
12 April- The committee, led by chair Susan Muhammad Mirkhan (KDP), discussed their meetings in Garmian and Chamchamal administrations to look into the problems for Anfal survivors there. They reviewed their notes, comments and investigations from the visit and prepared their report to Kurdistan Parliament's commission on the 33rd anniversary of the Anfal, which will be read out to MPs at the Parliament sitting of 14 April.
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
12 April - The committee, led by chair Dr. Sabah Zebari (KDP), discussed the latest health situation in the Coronavirus pandemic. The MPs discussed the proposal of a health insurance law and decided to brief Parliament's Presidency on it in writing.
The committee answered the letters sent to them by the public.
Legislative Committee
11 April- The Committee, led by chair Dr. Bizhar Kochar (KDP), discussed the Bill on Protection of Archeological Sites and Artefacts in Kurdistan Region. MP Dr. Zedan Bradosti (KDP), who has expertise in archeology, participated in the meeting.
The Legislative Committee discussed the reports by the municipalities and culture committees on the Bill, and then reviewed each article of the current bill in detail.
Integrity Committee
13 April – The committee, led by the chair Shirin Amin (Change), met with Jabbar Yawar, the General Secretary of the Peshmerga Ministry, and all five chairs of the special committees in the ministry on implementing the Reform Law (No. 2 of 2020).
The meeting was organized at the request of the Integrity Committee, to understand the reasons for the delay to implementing the Reform law within the Ministry of Peshmerga.
Mr. Yawar, who is the deputy chair of the Peshmerga Ministry’s high committee on implementation of the Reform Law, and the heads of the other committees, explained the reasons for the slow action.
The committee decided to report on their meeting and decisions to Parliament’s Presidency for the necessary follow-up work.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
13 April - The committee, led by the chair Abdulsatar Majeed Qadir (KIG), discussed the problems between the veterinary workers group and the veterinarians syndicate, and it was decided to invite both sides to resolve the problems.
The MPs discussed the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resource’s recent meeting and decision on the current drought, and the committee decided to send a letter to the KRG Council of Ministers through the Presidency of Parliament to the head of the agricultural bank asking for loans to be forgiven by 50%, and to allow late repayment in line with the Federal Government's decision, because the situation for Kurdistan Region’s farmers is deteriorating and diseases have destroyed or damaged many of Kurdistan region's product. The committee is asking the KRG to dedicate a budget to compensate for the drought.
The MPs also discussed the land problems in Ashokan and Daraban villages, and it was decided to hold a meeting with Parliament’s Presidency on this issue.
The committee decided to meet with farmers in Bardarash to hear about their problems.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
13 April - The committee, led by the chair Romeo Hakari (National Union Coalition), discussed the draft amendments to Law No. 22 of 2011, the Law on the Rights and Privileges of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs in Kurdistan Region.
The committee decided to meet with the KRG Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to draft their report on the bill, and send it to Parliament's Presidency to schedule for its reading at a sitting.
The MPs discussed their visits to Duhok and Zakho and their report on the public’s problems. The committee considered it necessary to continue their visits to the governorates and administrations.
The committee discussed their notes and investigations and the complaints raised to them, as well as the outcome of their follow-up with the relevant authorities.
Protection of Women's Rights committee
13 April - The committee, led by the chair Lanja Dizayee (KDP), discussed gender justice in the 2021 budget. The chair and MPs emphasized that gender justice should be considered in different sectors, and it was decided to arrange a joint meeting of the committee and with the relevant bodies in the KRG, through Parliament’s Presidency.
All the letters and requests sent to the committee were discussed and answered according to Parliament’s procedures.