New Delhi:
A proposed law in Iraq’s parliament has sparked widespread outrage and concern as it seeks to lower the legal marriage age for girls to just 9 years old. The controversial legislation, introduced by Iraq’s Ministry of Justice, aims to amend the country’s Personal Status Law, which currently sets the minimum age for marriage at 18.
The bill would allow citizens to choose between religious authorities or the civil judiciary to decide family matters. Critics fear this will lead to a reduction in rights in matters of inheritance, divorce and child custody.
If passed, the bill would allow girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to marry, raising fears of an increase in child marriage and exploitation. Critics argue that this regressive move would undermine decades of progress in promoting women’s rights and gender equality.
Human rights organizations, women’s groups and civil society activists vehemently opposed the bill, warning of serious consequences for the education, health and well-being of young girls. They argue that child marriage leads to increased school dropout rates, early pregnancy and an increased risk of domestic violence.
According to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, 28 percent of girls in Iraq are married before the age of 18.
“Passing this law would show a country moving backwards, not forwards,” said Sarah Sanbar, a researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Amal Kabashi of the Iraqi Women’s Network also expressed strong opposition, stating that the change “provides enormous leeway for male dominance over family matters” in an already conservative society.
In late July, parliament withdrew the proposed changes when many lawmakers objected. They resurfaced in a session on August 4, after receiving the support of powerful Shiite blocs that dominate the Chamber.
The proposed changes would mark a shift from the 1959 legislation. This law, enacted after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy, transferred family law authority from religious figures to the state judiciary. The new bill would reintroduce the option to apply religious rules, primarily Shia and Sunni Islam, but does not mention other religious or sectarian communities within Iraq’s diverse population.
Supporters of the bill say it aims to standardize Islamic law and protect girls from “immoral relationships.” However, opponents argue that this reasoning is flawed and ignores the harsh realities of child marriage.
By giving power over marriage to religious authorities, the amendment “would undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law,” said HRW’s Sanbar.
It also “could legalize the marriage of girls up to the age of nine, stealing the future and well-being of countless girls.”
“Girls should be on the playground and at school, not in wedding dresses,” she said.
It remains unclear whether this attempt to change the law will succeed where several previous attempts have failed.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
