Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, 23 June 2021 - The UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNFPA Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Ib Petersen; UNFPA Regional Director for the Arab States, Dr. Luay Shabaneh; and the UNFPA Representative to Iraq, Dr. Rita Columbia, met with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Mr. Masrour Barzani, in attendance of the Minister of Planning, Dr. Dara Rasheed, and the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Mr. Safeen Dizayee, on 21 June.

During the meeting, Mr. Petersen and Mr. Barzani discussed the cooperation between UNFPA and the Kurdistan Regional Government in the areas of population data, prevention of gender-based violence, and youth participation. The dialogue also focused on UNFPA technical support to the population and housing census and population analysis.

The two officials discussed the issue of women shelters in the Kurdistan Region and how to strengthen the referral mechanisms through the judicial court.

Mr. Petersen thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government for its partnership with UNFPA on women and youth-related interventions, and emphasized the need for reliable data to ensure the development and implementation of people-centered policies based on evidence.

Prime Minister, Barzani, reiterated his government’s support to UNFPA programmes and interventions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

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For more information, please contact:

In Iraq: Salwa Moussa, Communications Specialist, smoussa@unfpa.org  - +9647809171035

In Cairo: Samir Aldarabi, Regional Communication Adviser Arab States Regional Office aldarabi@unfpa.org - +201068484879