Press release
The relevant government officials in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region come to an end of their discussion on developing work mechanisms in the field of occupational health and safety
25 August 2022 Erbil:
Concerned authorities in the Iraqi Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs represented by the National Center for Health and Safety in the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs led by Mr. Mashreq Abdul-Khaleq Al-Asadi and the heads of the National Centers for Health and Safety in all Iraqi governorates as well as the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the Kurdistan Region represented by Mr. Nazmi Mousa and health and safety representatives from all of the region's governorates, concluded two days of intensive consultations and discussions on developing work mechanisms on occupational health and safety to improve the work environment and protect workers from risks.
On the first day, August 24, 2022, two meetings were held. The first brought together the National Center for Health and Safety in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in Baghdad with the directors of occupational health and safety centers in all Iraqi governorates, with the exception of the governorates of the Kurdistan Region, to discuss the reality of occupational health and safety after the disengagement law and the transfer of powers to the governorates. At the conclusion of the meeting, after addressing the situation and presenting the reality and needs, a set of recommendations were made to develop work mechanisms between the National Center in the Ministry and the National Centers in the governorates in order to enhance the working environment and protect workers. Including proposals related to internal work mechanisms and strengthening the relationship between the National Center in the Ministry and centers in the governorates, as well as capacity-building for the centers in the governorates and field visits by the National Center to the provincial centers to enhance the work of the provincial centers in order to improve the work environment and protect workers.
The final draft of the instructions for the work of the occupational health and safety committees in the Kurdistan Region were formulated in the second meeting between officials in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the Kurdistan Region in charge of occupational health and safety and representatives of the health and safety committees in the provinces of the region. The instructions will be submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for approval in the coming period.
On the second day, August 25, 2022, the occupational health and safety officials from the Ministries of Labor in Baghdad and Erbil convened. Mrs. Zakia Salih, the deputy of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the Kurdistan Region, opened the meeting with a speech focusing on the Kurdistan Regional Government's concern with occupational health and safety and efforts to build processes and instructions and unique policies in this area, as well as an interest in coordination and cooperation with the National Center for Occupational Health and Safety in Iraq with the objective of enhancing the work environment and safeguarding workers. Mr. Mashreq Abdul-Khaleq Al-Asadi, President of the National Center for Health and Safety in Iraq, then gave a speech in which he welcomed coordination and cooperation with the authorities concerned with health and safety in the Kurdistan Region and forever All preparations to assist the region in establishing the national center and activating the role of health and safety committees in the region. In his remarks, Dr. Arif Hito, General Director of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in the Kurdistan Region, emphasized the significance of coordination and collaboration between the relevant federal and regional agencies in the field of occupational health and safety.
Following the presentation of the reality of health and safety in the region and the federal government, the development of mechanisms for developing joint work between both sides was discussed, and it was agreed on a set of mechanisms to develop the reality of health and safety in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. These mechanisms include mutual visits, capacity building, and the transfer of expertise and information from the National Center for Health and Safety in Iraq to the region Kurdistan.
Consultations and discussions on the development of work mechanisms for health and safety in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were held by the National Center for Health and Safety and the relevant authorities in the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi governorates, as part of a joint project between the Peace and Freedom Organization and the Norwegian People's Aid Organization to promote workers' rights and trade union freedoms.
