Yazidi refugees and migrants to participate in the Kurdistan Provincial Council elections
Erbil, Kurdistan Region - More than 48,000 internally displaced persons, including Yazidi refugees and displaced persons (IDPs) living in the Kurdistan Region, will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections scheduled for December 18 this year, marking a significant step forward in ensuring the representation of Yazidi refugees in the region's political process.
According to the electoral law, IDPs are able to vote either at their own polling station or in designated polling stations established within the camps. To facilitate their participation, the independent High Electoral Commission has committed to opening 120 polling stations in 35 polling centers specifically for IDPs.
To vote, IDPs will be required to present their biometric voter cards, after polling day IDP voter cards will be collected to prevent them from casting a general vote.
The initiative addresses a critical problem faced by IDPs in previous elections, where many were unable to vote due to logistical and security issues. For example, in the 2018 parliamentary elections, more than half of the approximately 450,000 IDPs were unable to participate.
Kurdistan is the only region in Iraq that has not yet closed its IDP camps: the region is home to more than 600,000 displaced people, among them Yazidi refugee families. This decision has allowed IDPs to remain connected to their communities and maintain a sense of "normalcy" in the face of displacement.
The upcoming provincial council elections are an opportunity for IDPs to exercise their democratic rights and make their voices heard in the political decision-making process. By facilitating their participation, the Independent High Electoral Commission and the Kurdistan Regional Government are taking a positive step towards ensuring the inclusion of displaced communities in the political landscape of the region.
Tags: #yazidisinfo #newsyazidis #iraqyazidis
Yazidi refugees and migrants to participate in the Kurdistan Provincial Council elections
Erbil, Kurdistan Region - More than 48,000 internally displaced persons, including Yazidi refugees and displaced persons (IDPs) living in the Kurdistan Region, will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections scheduled for December 18 this year, marking a significant step forward in ensuring the representation of Yazidi refugees in the region's political process.
According to the electoral law, IDPs are able to vote either at their own polling station or in designated polling stations established within the camps. To facilitate their participation, the independent High Electoral Commission has committed to opening 120 polling stations in 35 polling centers specifically for IDPs.
To vote, IDPs will be required to present their biometric voter cards, after polling day IDP voter cards will be collected to prevent them from casting a general vote.
The initiative addresses a critical problem faced by IDPs in previous elections, where many were unable to vote due to logistical and security issues. For example, in the 2018 parliamentary elections, more than half of the approximately 450,000 IDPs were unable to participate.
Kurdistan is the only region in Iraq that has not yet closed its IDP camps: the region is home to more than 600,000 displaced people, among them Yazidi refugee families. This decision has allowed IDPs to remain connected to their communities and maintain a sense of "normalcy" in the face of displacement.
The upcoming provincial council elections are an opportunity for IDPs to exercise their democratic rights and make their voices heard in the political decision-making process. By facilitating their participation, the Independent High Electoral Commission and the Kurdistan Regional Government are taking a positive step towards ensuring the inclusion of displaced communities in the political landscape of the region.
Tags: #yazidisinfo #newsyazidis #iraqyazidis
