IRAQ: Members of Beth Nahrin Patriotic Union participate in electoral workshop in Erbil

ERBIL, Iraq — Members of the Beth Nahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo / HBA) participated in an information session and workshop about political process in Iraq.

The session was funded by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and organized by Jusoor Youth Organization.

HBA Executive Office members Maryam Emad and Marib Emad participated in the three-day workshop, May 3-5.

During the workshop, several issues were raised and discussed including the importance of participation in the electoral process, the rights of minorities to participate politically, culturally, and socially within international human rights standards, and legal mechanisms to encourage the representation of Iraqi components in electoral processes.

Obstacles to fair representation of components in Iraq were also discussed, as were the pros and cons of the new electoral law, the role of monitoring, and the role of the media in electoral processes.