Committees' recent meetings - 27 October 2021
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament's committees' recent work and meetings:
Protection of Women’s Rights Committee
13 September – The committee discussed their legislative proposal for a bill on combatting violence against women and families, which was sent to the KRG. Now that the KRG has given feedback on the legislative proposal, the committee decided to work on it more and submit it to Parliament’s Presidency so that it can be scheduled for its first reading.
The MPs discussed their future meetings with the Judicial Council and visits to the provincial councils.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and received a reply or were sent to Parliament’s Presidency for the necessary work and follow-up.
Peshmerga Committee
14 September – The committee met with the KRG Minister for Peshmerga Shoresh Ismail and ministry officials. They discussed provions of the Reform Law (Law No. 2 of 2020), including unifying and organizing accounting units, and reviewing the service of Peshmerga, scrutinizing personnel files, reviewing the list of retired Peshmerga receiving pensions. T
Cancelling and correcting pensions to which there is no entitlement was discussed, within the framework of all the applicable laws, as well as steps to bring brigades 70 and 80 under the Peshmerga Ministry, identify the number of government guards, and tansfer all guards to the Guard Unit.
The committee raised the problems at the frontlines and Peshmerga stations, Peshmerga’s food and basic needs, those who don’t report for duty, tendering, soldiers killed in car accidents while driving to their duty stations and not being counted as martyrs.
The committee raised the government’s responsibilities under Resolution 19 of 2014 to treat the injured. Other subjects were provision of weapons and explosives, fuel and healthcare, reviewing officers promotions, the unification of Peshmerga forces units, and equalizing salaries.
Other topics were administrative problems, promotions and ranks without merit, failing to properly count service of Peshmerga soldiers who served in the revolutionary periods, failing to increase salaries based on academic qualifications, marriage and children, and removing those with officer ranks who have not been through certification.
The cooperation and support from Kurdistan Region’s allies for the Peshmerga and reform process, statistics on the Peshmerga forces, the level of cooperation between Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army, and Peshmerga’s battle readiness.
The final subject was a legislative proposal on the rights and privileges of Peshmerga forces.
25 October – The committee decided to make further efforts to investigate and find solutions to the problems facing Peshmerga forces.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and received a reply or were sent to Parliament’s Presidency for the necessary work and follow-up.
Energy, Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
15 September – The committee discussed the price of flour, which has increased and has therefore led to higher prices of bread, monitoring private silos, giving more licences to import seed wheat and applying instructions to all companies equally, and giving more opportunities to other flour mills in Kurdistan Region.
The committee sent a written summary of their meeting to Parliament’s Presidency.
19 October – The committee discussed the high price of petrol, gas and heating oil and decided to ask the KRG Minister of Natural Resources for a meeting to explain the issue.
25 October – The committee decided to prepare a detailed report for Parliament’s Presidency on how to solve the problem of the high price of petrol and gas, and discuss the issue at the next Parliament sitting with the KRG Minister of Natural Resources present.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
28 September – The committee visited and congratulated Mar Awa Royel III on his election as new Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East. The Church's seat was moved from US to Erbil in 2015. They emphasized protecting Kurdistan's peaceful coexistence of all religions.
Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Committee
17 October – Teachers’ representatives gave the committee their complaints and demands, which the committee fully supported.
The committee decided to meet with the relevant ministries to raise the demands and find solutions to teachers’ problems and complaints.
The MPs decided to officially ask the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to increase the number of places at universities and higher education institutes.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and action taken on them.
25 October – The committee discussed the complaints of non-contract teachers and how to find a suitable solution that fulfills their demands.
They also covered the need to provide government employment to the three highest scoring university and institute graduates, and government contract employees.
The committee prepared a comprehensive report on the main issues and their recommendations, and will read it out at the Parliament sitting scheduled for 26 October.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and received a reply or were forwarded to the relevant authorities for follow-up.
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
20 October – The committee discussed companies that arrange smuggle migrants, and how they promote emigration which encourages young people to go abroad.
The committee decided to meet with the KRG Interior Minister to look further into this issue.
25 October – The committee met to assess the latest seasonal report from the KRG Department of Foreign Relations (KRG DFR) and the KRG representations abroad, on their work and activities.
The MPs highlighted more relations-building by the KRG offices abroad and the plight of Kurdistani migrants as areas that need more work.
The committee decided to write to the KRG DFR with their feedback and comments on the seasonal report.
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights Committee
20 October – The committee released the following statement to encourage people to have the Coronavirus vaccine:
Taking vaccines is the only hope of controlling Coronavirus. Unfortunately, the number of patients ill with Coronavirus has once again increased in the Kurdistan Region and has again put more pressure on hospitals and health facilities.
Although Coronavirus vaccines are currently available at vaccination centres in the region's cities, unfortunately take-up is low and not as good as had been expected.
Therefore, there is a danger that our region will face another wave of Coronavirus.
We ask everyone to waste no time in having the vaccine and to encourage their families to do likewise to protect your health, your own lives and your loved ones.
We also ask teachers and all employees to take the initiative and be role models for other citizens by taking the vaccine.
20 October – The committee decided to ask the KRG Minister of Health for a meeting on the Coronavirus situation and other healthcare issues. They also decided to visit Raparin independent administration to look into its healthcare provision.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and either received a reply or were forwarded to the relevant authorities for follow-up.
Legislative Committee
20 October – The committee worked on three bills and sent them to Parliament’s Presidency to schedule their second readings:
Amendments to the application of Iraq Trade Law No. 30 of 1984 in Kurdistan Region - Iraq.
Amendments to the Law on the Missing and Disappeared in the Campaigns of Genocide against the Kurdistani People in Kurdistan Region - Iraq, Law No. 3 of 1999,
The Bill on Production and Import of Seeds and Plants and Registration, Approval, and Protection of Agricultural Chemicals in Kurdistan Region – Iraq
Integrity Committee
25 October – Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami, supervised a meeting of the committee to elect a new chair and rapporteur, with Secretary Muna Kahveci and Legislative Committee chair Dr. Bizhar Kochar also participating.
Balen Ismail (Change) was elected as chair and Halkawt Anwar (KDP) as rapporteur of the committee.
Martyrs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
20 October – The committee decided to meet with local and international organizations to work on increasing international recognition of the genocide against the people of Kurdistan.
They also discussed how to improve the lives of martyrs’ families and former political prisoners, and the implementation of the Reform Law’s provisions related to them. They decided to meet with the KRG Ministry of Martyrs Affairs and Genocide about these issues.
27 October – The committee discussed how to increase international recognition of the genocide against the Kurdistani people and decided to collaborate with some of the KRG representations abroad to benefit from other countries’ experiences of raising awareness of genocide and international crimes.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and forwarded to the relevant authorities for follow-up.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
25 October – The committee chair Romeo Hakkari (National Union Coalition) said that the recent first amendments to Law on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, Law No. 22 of 2011, whose first amendments were passed by Parliament on 8 July 2021, but has been retrned to Parliament by the Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, with comments on Article 4 and paragraph 2 of the amendments.
The members gave their views on the suggested changes and additions made by the Kurdistan Region President on the amendments, and a majority of the committee voted in favour of them as they will benefit people with disabilities and special needs.
The MPs decided to visit prisons and social care and welfare directorates in all the governorates of Kurdistan Region.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
25 October – The committee exchanged views on the Bill on Production and Import of Seeds and Plants and Registration, Approval, and Protection of Agricultural Chemicals in Kurdistan Region.
The MPs discussed farmers’ latest problems and needs.
All the requests, complaints and letters sent to the committee were read and received a reply or were sent to Parliament’s Presidency for the necessary work and follow-up.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
28 September – The committee worked on their report on the Bill on the Kurdistan Olympic Committee in order to give to Parliament’s Presidency so that it can be scheduled for a reading.
They discussed the state of journalism, the problems facing civil society organizations in Duhok, and decided to organize a conference on these issues.
25 October – The committee met with representatives of civil society organizations who said that previously the KRG Office for NGOs provided funding for NGOs which is no longer provided but is needed for their work and activities.
The committee supported the NGOs’ demands and said that civil society organizations’ work is essential for individual and community progress and development.