By Sharmila Devi

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan - Iraqi Kurdistan had made progress on its human rights record but more work was needed, said a top United Nations official during a visit to the regional capital Erbil on Sunday.

Ivan Simonovic, UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, met Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, which announced the visit on its web site.

The Kurdish leader asked for more international assistance to deal with a flood of refugees and displaced people who have fled to Kurdistan since Islamic State militants swept across Iraq in the summer.

Simonovic was last in Iraq in 2011 when he raised concerns about the protection of women, freedom of expression, and respect for the human rights of detainees in Kurdistan.

On this visit, he noted the threat of ISIS jihadis and the burden on the regional government when it is facing a severe budgetary crisis, which stems from the Kurds not receiving their share of the federal budget for several months because of a dispute with Baghdad over oil exports and other issues.

Barzani reiterated the Kurdish commitment to dialogue with Baghdad. The Kurds set a three-month deadline when they agreed to join the new Iraqi government led by Haidar Al Abadi last month.

The UN visited camps housing some of the estimated 1.4 million internally displaced people and refugees now in Kurdistan. More refugees are expected because of the conflict in the Kurdish region of Syria including Kobane.

Rudaw