Committees' recent meetings - 30 September 2022
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament’s committees’ recent work and meetings:
Protection of Women’s Rights Committee
20 September 2022 – The committee prepared for the second reading of the Bill on Combating Violence against Women, scheduled for the next day’s Parliament sitting.
They discussed a proposal by Salahaddin University’s Research Centre on a forum on women’s rights, and how their committee will support and participate in it.
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
22 September 2022 - The committee met with the UK’s Consul General David Hunt to follow up on the fate of missing migrants from Kurdistan Region who died when a migrant boat sank off the UK coast earlier this year. The bodies of some of the migrants have not yet been found.
At the previous meeting on 19 March, the British Consul General had said that the British Government will continue their efforts to find out what happened to the victims. On behalf of the UK Government, he expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
The committee chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi thanked Consul General Hunt for their continued efforts to find the bodies of the missing.
They held a joint press conference after the meeting.
26 September 2022 – The committee reviewed their recent meeting with the UK Consul General David Hunt about the fate Kurdistan Region citizens who attempted to reach the UK on migrant boats and are believed to have drowned. The committee has been following up since the tragedy to help find and repatriate the victims’ bodies.
The committee exchanged views about their forthcoming program of work.
Legislative Committee
18 September 2022 – The committee discussed and reviewed the Education Bill to prepare it for its second reading.
Social Affairs and Protection of Human Rights Committee
19 September 2022 – The committee and several labour and human rights organizations discussed the labour and social security bills.
The organizations said that the bills must be in the interests of both workers and employers.
The committee decided to meet with labour unions in the near future to get their views on the bills.
20 September 2022 – The committee had a meeting with Kurdistan’s labour unions on the labour and social security bills, and the unions gave them all their comments and recommendation on the bills in writing.
The committee decided to discuss the two bills with employers, business owners, chambers of commerce and labour unions’ advisers and executive staff.
They discussed some of the articles of the Labour Bill and agreed that it should protect the rights of both workers and employers.
The committee replied to correspondence.
26 September 2022 – The committee met with workers' syndicates, company representatives, and chambers of commerce from Erbil, Slemani and Duhok to hear their comments and suggestions on the Labour and Social Security Bill.
Martyrs, Genocide and Political Prisoners Committee
20 September 2022 – The committee discussed the demands of martyrs’ families from Dasha village in Duhok, who were 72 men, women and children, and decided to raise their complaints with the authorities.
They discussed visiting Slemani.
The committee asked their advisers to review all laws that pertain to martyrs, genocide, the Anfal and former political prisoners, to determine legal gaps and suggest possible amendments.
29 September 2022 – The committee reviewed the results of their recent visits to Slemani and Duhok. They discussed their next steps in raising awareness and recognition of the genocide of the Kurds.
Parliament Affairs and Complaints Committee
20 September 2022 - The committee forwarded correspondence to the relevant parties. They discussed paying financial entitlements to the parliamentary parties’ employees and after exchanging views they decided to raise the issue with Parliament’s Presidency in writing.
Integrity Committee
20 September 2022 – The committee decided to announce the results of their investigation into the spending of Coronavirus measures funding, and also to visit the Integrity Commission to monitor their work, discuss the expiry of the legal mandate (working term) of the Integrity Commission’s head, and the steps being taken by the commission in corruption cases.
The committee replied to correspondence.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
22 September 2022 – The committee met with several farmers' organizations to discuss the problems facing the agricultural sector and how to increase domestic production.
They discussed farmers' financial entitlements for 2014, 2015 and 2016, with 309 billion dinars remaining to be paid to them by the Iraqi federal Government. The committee promised to follow up on the issue by visiting Baghdad.
On the sale of farmers' products, the committee assured the farmers that they will officially notify in writing the Presidency of Parliament that the KRG must implement Law No. 2 of 2021, the Law on Protection of Domestic Products, which imposes taxes on imported products and prohibits unlawful imports (smuggling), and also that the government must give more support to agriculture.
The committee said that they want to hold a Parliament sitting, with the presence of the relevant authorities, to discuss the problems facing the farming sector and how to revive local farmers' production.
Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel and Tourism Committee
25 – 26 September 2022 – As part of their series of meetings in all the governorates of Kurdistan Region, the committee visited the authorities in Zaxo independent administration and Duhok. At both administrations, they raised the issues of encroachment on public land and property, drinking water supply, organization and development of the tourism sector, preservation of historic monuments, transport, completing unfinished projects, irrigation of parks and gardens and protection of urban greenery, garbage collection and treatment, land allocation problems and compensation of property owners, the public’s response and adherence to laws, and various government charges and fees.
The committee visited the famous Delal Bridge in Zaxo.
27 September 2022 – As part of their series of meetings in all the governorates of Kurdistan Region, the committee met with Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, the Deputy Governor, Mayor of Erbil, Director General of Erbil municipalities and directors of irrigation, archaeology, transport and communication.
The committee raised the problems with public services in the centre of Erbil, including encroachment on public property, issuing permits and providing basic services to already distributed lands in the centre of Erbil, providing basic services to neighborhoods that have not yet received them, waste collection and recycling, unfinished projects in Erbil municipalities, irrigation and greenery, protection of gardens and parks, land allocation and compensation of property owners, steps to implement the law on ownership of illegally used or taken land in municipalities, business names and signs, collection of commercial waste, the importance of developing the tourism sector, transport problems and paying more attention to the public transport sector, and the protection and management of Erbil's ancient monuments.
The committee also emphasized the need to distribute household heating kerosene to the public as soon as possible.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
27 September 2022 – The committee decided to meet with the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to raise questions their recent directive on centres for learning and memorizing the Holy Koran.
The committee replied to correspondence.
28 September 2022 – The committee met with the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Dr. Pshtiwan Sadq, regarding the Ministry’s directive number 2739 of 18 July 2022 on Koranic memorization and learning centres.
Minister Sadq said that the directive does not apply to licensed establishments and only applies to those working without a license to perform religious work.
The ministry explained their plans for Koranic memorization and learning centres and for 21 religious schools.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
28 September 2022 – The committee discussed road-building projects, especially the Slemani-Kalar road, and decided to write to the Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction about the failure to complete the road.
The committee replied to correspondence.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
28 September 2022 – The committee exchanged views on the letters and proposals for legislation that it has received, such as proposals for a law on a biology syndicate and on the Kurdistan Region Olympic Committee. They decided to coordinate with the health and legislative committees on the biology syndicate legislative proposal, and formed a sub-committee to organize a workshop on the Olympic Committee legislative proposal.
Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
20 September 2022 – The committee decided to enquire with Interior Ministry officials about a contract signed with a private company for the installation of speeding cameras, to understand the details of the contract.
They decided to meet with the director general and provincial heads of traffic departments to scrutinize the traffic police’s recent confiscation of motorcycles.
The committee replied to correspondence.
28 September 2022 – The committee decided to issue a statement of condemnation of the recent attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on several areas of Kurdistan Region, which caused deaths and injuries.
The committee replied to correspondence.