Committees’ recent meetings – 26 April 2021
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament’s committees’ recent work and activities.
Protection of Women’s Rights Committee with other committees
26 April – On the initiative of the Protection of Women’s Rights Committee, several committees met to discuss the increase in incidents of domestic violence, killings in general and the killing of women in particular.
The Protection of Women’s Rights Committee; the Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee; and the Interior Committee; together with some members of the Legislative and Religious Affairs committees, participated in the meeting.
The MPs looked at this year’s statistics on domestic violence, overall killings, killings of women and suicides, the reasons for the increase, the social and economic factors and the legal and legislative gaps in tackling these crimes.
Kurdistan Region's law enforcement has highlighted the increasing misuse of unlicensed weapons and the sometimes negative and irresponsible portrayal in social media of these issues.
The committees decided to ask about the accuracy of the reporting on recent incidents and to monitor the relevant executive and judicial authorities to identify and address the shortcomings and gaps in how such cases are handled.
MPs said that the legal problems and gaps in the law on such cases should be resolved, both by amending laws or passing new laws and regulations and by developing joint strategies to eliminate domestic violence and murder in Kurdistan Region.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
26 April 2021 - The committee, led by the chair Romeo Hakari (National Union Coalition), met with Mr. Fakher Hazem, the head of the Romani Cultural Center in Erbil governorate.
Mr. Hazem spoke about the problems facing the Romani people and called on Parliament to support them in achieving their rights. He also talked about the steps taken to help Romanis achieve success and cultural recognition in the Kurdistan Region. Mr. Hazem asked that the International Romani Day, 8th April, be recognized by the Kurdistan Parliament.
The committee thanked the head of the Romani Cultural Center for meeting with them and Chair Romeo Hakari promised to raise his requests with the relevant parties.
Martyrs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
26 April – The committee, led by the chair Sawsan Muhammad Mirkhan (KDP), discussed the comments and suggestions made by MPs at the Parliament sitting of 14 April on services for Anfal survivors and their families in Garmian and Chamchamal. The committee incorporated them all into the report by the special committee formed for the 33rd anniversary of the Anfal genocide, and decided to send the report to the Kurdistan Regional Government soon, through Parliament’s Presidency.
The meeting also discussed the problems of former political prisoners and the committee and decided to meet with the Committee on Reform to review the list of former political prisoners and resolve the problems.
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
26 April – The committee, led by the chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi (KDP), met online.
The committee discussed a conference that they are organizing on the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the wider region, with the participation of academics and political experts.
Another topic of the meeting was the delay in receiving the report from the KRG’s representatives abroad about their responsibilities, work and activities. The committee decided write to the KRG Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) asking for the report to be sent, as had been agreed at their last meeting with the DFR.