Kurdistan Region highlights progress in combating all forms of discrimination at UN meeting
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has made significant strides in eliminating racial discrimination, as highlighted by Dr. Dindar Zebari, Coordinator of International Advocacy for the KRG, during his address to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Geneva on August 14, 2024.
In his speech, Dr. Zebari emphasized the comprehensive efforts undertaken by the KRG to foster a society free from all forms of discrimination.
He noted that the Kurdistan Regional Parliament has enacted 35 new statutes between 2019 and 2023, with an additional 7 draft bills currently under parliamentary consideration.
These legislative efforts include substantial amendments aimed at strengthening the protection of public liberties and combating gender-based discrimination, with over 12 statutes specifically targeting the latter.
Dr. Zebari also highlighted the KRG's commitment to implementing its five-year Action Plan for Human Rights, which has resulted in the compilation of six comprehensive reports evaluating the plan's implementation.
The reports reflect the coordinated efforts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the KRG.
At the executive level, 448 recommendations have been issued, with a significant compliance rate of 74.1% as of 2023.
Of the 19 recommendations related to combating discrimination and hate speech, 15 have been fully implemented, while the remaining 3 are currently in progress.
The KRG has also focused on the rights of foreign workers, ensuring that the 88,652 foreign workers registered with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs between 2008 and the first half of 2024 are accorded the same entitlements and protections as local workers.
A high-level committee has been established to regulate their recruitment, along with a specialized committee dedicated to overseeing the welfare of female foreign workers. A dedicated hotline (5500) has also been set up to efficiently address and resolve any grievances.
In his address, Dr. Zebari also addressed the ongoing efforts to document the atrocities committed by ISIS terrorists. The KRG has meticulously cataloged records of thousands of abducted individuals, totaling 24,965 files and 408,540 pages. To date, 3,579 abductees have been successfully liberated.
The KRG has instituted a monthly financial assistance program for ISIS survivors and established a specialized psychological treatment facility in Dohuk to provide critical care to hundreds of survivors. Additionally, more than a thousand survivors have been transferred to Germany for advanced psychological treatment.
The KRG's commitment to human rights and justice was further underscored by its efforts to address issues such as narcotics, overcrowding in correctional facilities, and the imposition of the death penalty.
Dr. Zebari highlighted the KRG's achievements in these areas, including the detention of 5,870 individuals involved in drug-related offenses, the development of comprehensive drafts of the Correctional Facility Bill and the Alternative Sentences Bill, and the substantial reduction in the imposition of the death penalty.
Dr. Zebari concluded his address by emphasizing the KRG's dedication to preserving and advancing the cultural rights of religious and ethnic communities, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the protection of vulnerable populations, including individuals with disabilities and special needs, women under threat, and victims of domestic violence.
The KRG's efforts were met with appreciation by the United Nations Committee, recognizing the significant progress made in fostering a society free from racial discrimination and advancing human rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.