About Majlis Monitor
Majlis Monitor is a Farsi platform and the latest project brought to you by the creators of Rouhani Meter. The below is an English translation of the about page on the official Majlis Monitor website (with a few small contextual changes).
Visit the websitE (AVAILABLE ONLY IN FARSI)
Majlis Monitor is the first comprehensive attempt to monitor the performance of Iranian parliamentarians. Based at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs, with research lead by ASL19, the project aspires to provide expert analysis and open space for conversation in an effort to support increased transparency and accountability within the parliamentary system of Iran.
Profiles are available for all 290 MPs in parliament. Our research team works around the clock to monitor the Majlis and provide regular updates. Follow our Monitor Map for the latest breaking information, follow our blog for analysis, and participate by:
- Commenting and voting on the performance of MPs.
- Sending in questions you would like to ask your MP from their profile page.
- Providing feedback through our social media channels and sharing information with our team to help update MP information.
Majlis Monitor is in part inspired by similar projects such as Parliament Watch in Germany.
Why is Majlis Monitor important?
- Majlis Monitor is the first comprehensive attempt at monitoring the performance of Iranian MPs.
- Although a great deal of information about MPs can be found online, they have yet to be presented in a cohesive and effective way to Iranians. In addition to creating an aggregate of information, this project will analyze available facts with the help of experts in the field.
- Majlis Monitor will provide a space for the public to support, comment, and criticize the way a specific MP is working in Majlis. Citizens can send us questions to post publicly; report on information from their local areas; and more.
- While many MPs are featured prominently throughout the media, a great number of them have remained low profile. Majlis Monitor will highlight the performance and activities of those less nationally known MPs.
By providing a clear picture of Majlis MP performances and positions toward national matters, this project endeavors to inform the Iranian public as best as it can in leading up to the next parliamentary election, to take place in 2016.
Who runs Majlis Monitor?
All research and project development for Majlis Monitor has been exclusively conducted by the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto and ASL19.
All of the external articles, links, and associated content submitted to the platform belong to the original authors and we make no claim on their intellectual property.
How is it financed?
Funding for this project has been provided to the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs by the Global Peace and Security Program at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Canada.
A note on research challenges and limitations:
The challenge is primarily driven by the scale and scope of information that must be managed. It is also unlikely we can get a thorough record of how MPs actually voted. This information, as our research currently indicates, does not exist publically.
Although there are a number of Political parties and coalitions in Iran’s parliament, MPs’ affiliation with these groups does not mean that all the MPs in this coalition share the same opinion about a draft bill.
How does it work?
Majlis Monitor includes profiles for all the members of Parliament. The profile includes a brief biography as well as an extensive list of former positions these MPs have held in the past.
MPs are monitored across numerous points of activity: bills they have signed and supported, speeches in Majlis, interviews with media, recent news, as well as via announcements and statements on current issues (locally, provincially, and nationally). So far, the Majlis Monitor team have been able to review all the bills presented to Majlis over the the last three months of Persian Year 1392, as well as bills passed in the year 1392 which have been submitted to the government for implementation.
In addition, the team has been monitoring activities during same period related to public affairs, electoral districts, and relations with President Rouhani’s government.
About our method
The research team, with support from an advisory group consisting of Iranian parliamentary affairs experts, collected information on representatives mainly from the following sources: Parliament’s website, Parliament’s Research Center, Parliament’s Library portal, Parliament’s News Agency, and MPs’ weblogs and websites.
MPs’ profiles included a review of the performance of representatives with regards to their electoral districts, interaction with the current presidential administration, as well as their opinions toward important national and public issues. Their stance on these issues are obtained through analyzing available data, such as the following:
- Lists of bills, and draft bills, along with the name of the MPs who drafted/signed them to be reviewed by parliament.
- Before the draft bills are voted for, a number of MPs often address the parliament and speak in favour or against them
- News stories and interviews with MPs about the bills and other current issues.
Community code of conduct
Questions received through Majlis Monitor are read by a team of moderators. Provided they do not breach this code, they are then cleared.
In the event of repeated breaches of the Code, the Majlis Monitor management team reserves the right moderate the content accordingly.
The will be deemed to be in breach of the Code and will not be cleared:
- Questions/comments which are racist, sexist, or inflammatory, or which disrespect or deride users.
- Questions/comments worded in an insulting, abusive, or dehumanising manner.
- Questions/comments which intrude into someone’s private life.
- Questions/comments covered by professional confidentiality.
- All forms of spam.
Majlis Monitor takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. We do not collect any personal information on this website. Please be safe and do not reveal your personal information to anyone.