Iraq Moves to Lower Marriage Age to 9, A Step Back for Women’s Rights and Child Safety?
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Raven Ruma
- . November 11, 2024
- . Update: November 11, 2024 9:08 pm
Iraq is moving closer to changing its marriage laws which could lower the legal age of marriage from 18 to 9 allowing older men to marry young girls according to The Telegraph. Dominant Shia Muslim parties in Parliament of Iraq have proposed these amendments which could reverse many women’s rights gained under the current law.
This proposal would amend Iraq’s personal status law 188, which was enacted in 1959. Law 188 shifted control over family matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance from religious authorities to the state. The new amendment would bring back religious oversight and, according to supporters, aligns with strict interpretations of Islamic law to “protect young girls.”
According to report by The Telegraph Dr. Renad Mansour said that this proposal has more momentum now than ever largely because certain influential Shia parties are pushing it to regain political influence through religious appeals.
After this rapid development in Iraq now human right groups are on alert, there is warnings that this decision could expose young girls to abuse.
Although Iraq banned child marriage in the 1950s but UNICEF reports that 28% of Iraqi girls are married before they turn 18. A loophole in the law allows religious leaders, instead of courts, to approve these marriages if the father of the girl agrees. This loophole makes it easy for many child marriages to continue without being stopped.
