Shafaq News- Erbil

More than 60 legal experts gathered in Erbil on Wednesday to discuss the Kurdistan Region’s stalled constitution draft, as legal and political debate continues over a document approved by the Parliament more than a decade ago.

The event was organized by the MAF (Rights) Network with support from Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA). It brought together Kurdish lawmakers, legal specialists and representatives from the United Nations.

International law expert Dr. Raouf Rahman told Shafaq News that constitutional reviews are common practice worldwide, including in countries with permanent constitutions, as legal frameworks often evolve in response to changing circumstances.

He added that the Kurdistan Region’s draft constitution requires further legal discussion to strengthen its provisions, keep it aligned with current developments and reflect the social and institutional changes in Iraq and the wider region.

Kamran Sheikhani, a member of the Network’s legal board, noted that the conference will produce a report monitoring the rule of law, prepare for a national conference to present its findings, and organize further discussions in Erbil to bring the Kurdistan Region’s constitution back into legal and political debate.

Approved by the Kurdistan Region’s Parliament in 2009, the draft constitution has yet to take effect due to political disagreements over its final approval and the legal procedures required for its adoption.

Read more: Kurdistan takes the first baby steps in the "constitutional" thousand-mile march