[Emblem] PERMENANT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ TO THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE GENEVA Address by the Republic of Iraq at the Fifteenth Forum on Minority Issues Subject: Reviewing normative frameworks and the mainstreaming of the UN Declaration on Individuals Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious, or Linguistic Minorities Thank you Mr President. The delegation from the Republic of Iraq welcomes the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, and congratulates Mr Daniel Abwa for being selected President of the current session. We wish him success in facilitating the work of this session. Mr President, Iraq is a country with a diverse range of ethnic groups, religions, ideologies, and cultures. Iraqi laws protect the rights of all groups in the Iraqi population, without exception or discrimination at the point of application, and pursuant to the constitution that affirmed the principles of equality and nondiscrimination between Iraqis. The necessary legal mechanisms were put in place pursuant to the constitution in order to guarantee the rights of all constituencies, as follows: 1. Election Law No.9 of 2020 guarantees the fair representation of constituencies by granting them a quota (9 seats) to the Christian, the Sabians (Mandaeans), the Shabaks, and the Faili Kurds. This does not affect the share in the instance of their participation in national lists. 2. The Iraqi Council of Ministers issued Decision No.92 of 2014 taking into account the genocide which constituents of the Iraqi populace including, the Yazidis, Turkman, Christians, Shabak, and others suffered at the hands of the terrorist Daesh militia. 3. Ratification of the Yazidi Survivors Law No.8 of 2021, which aims to provide some justice to Yazidi and other minority survivors and to compensate them for the harm inflicted on them by the terrorist Daesh gangs. This law is the first of its kind and is concerned with survivors of sexual violence. Moreover, the day of the 3rd of August is considered an annual national day to recognise the cause of these victims. 4. The Official Languages Law No.7 of 2014 was issued to enable the main constituencies in Iraq to freely express their needs and requirements in their native language, and to promote ethnic and linguistic diversity in Iraq. 5. Ratification of Law No.58 of 2018 on establishing an endowment office for the Christian, Yazidi, and Sabian religions, which will monitor the affairs of worship, the clergy, and religious institutions and guarantee their rights, in accordance with the Iraqi constitution. 8, Impasse Colombelle 1218 Grand Scaonnex, Geneva, Switzerland 2-3 www.mofa.gov.iq genpm@mofa.gov.iq Tel.: +41 229180980 Fax: +41 227330326