On September 18, 2019, Aran Organization successfully conducted its fifth conference, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The conference took place at Syachamana Hall in Halabja, focusing on efforts to amend political party laws to prevent interference in government affairs by political parties.

Project Goals and Context

This conference is part of Aran Organization’s ongoing project, “Efforts to Establish Principles of Democracy and Encourage People to Defend Their Rights Peacefully,” implemented with the support of NED.

The primary goal of the project is to amend political party laws in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, specifically:

• Law No. 17 of 1993 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
• Law No. 36 of 2015 in the Federal Government of Iraq.

By addressing these laws, the project seeks to establish a legal framework that ensures political parties do not interfere in government operations, thus promoting democratic principles and good governance.

Discussion Highlights

Participants at the Halabja conference deliberated on the critical need to:

• Amend existing political party laws to reflect democratic principles.
• Mitigate the influence of political parties on government decision-making.
• Engage civil society and citizens in the advocacy process.

Series of Conferences

This event is the fifth in a series of conferences held by Aran Organization in partnership with NED. The previous four conferences were conducted in:

1. Kirkuk
2. Erbil
3. Chamchamal
4. Koya

Each conference brought together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including activists, academics, and community leaders, to discuss and draft recommendations for legal amendments.

Recommendations and Next Steps

Aran Organization plans to compile the recommendations gathered from all five conferences and submit them to the:

• Parliament of the Kurdistan Region
• Iraq’s House of Representatives

The recommendations aim to serve as a foundation for amending political party laws in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, aligning them with democratic standards and ensuring transparency in governance.

Aran Organization remains committed to fostering democracy and empowering citizens to peacefully advocate for their rights.