Iraq’s new bill may lower marriage age for girls to 9, sparking outcry for women’s rights
Iraq’s new bill may lower marriage age for girls to nine, sparking outcry for women’s rights
Iraq is poised to introduce a contentious bill that could significantly lower the minimum marriage age to nine years for girls and 15 for boys, sparking widespread concern among human rights advocates. The proposed legislation, which has been tabled in the Iraqi parliament, is seen by critics as a severe rollback of women’s rights in a society already marked by patriarchal norms.
Iraq’s new bill
The bill, as per AFP, would allow citizens to choose between religious authorities or the civil judiciary for decisions on family matters.\
Critics of the bill argue that the proposed changes could drastically reduce protections in areas such as inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
Of particular concern is the potential impact on the minimum age for marriage, which is currently set at 18 under the 1959 Personal Status Law. Opponents of the bill worry that it could effectively remove this age restriction, despite denials from lawmakers supporting the changes.
According to UNICEF, 28 per cent of girls in Iraq are already married before they reach 18.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher Sarah Sanbar warned, “Passing this law would show a country moving backwards, not forwards”.
Amal Kabashi, from the Iraq Women’s Network, expressed similar concerns, stating that the amendment would “provide huge leeway for male dominance over family issues” in an already patriarchal society.
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Current marriage law in Iraq
The 1959 Personal Status Law, which shifted family matters from religious to state jurisdiction, is seen as a cornerstone of women’s rights in Iraq. It was passed shortly after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy and under it, the age of marriage is 18 for both girls and boys.
The new bill, however, backed by conservative Shiite Muslim deputies, threatens to undermine these protections by reintroducing religious rules into family law, particularly for Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The bill does not mention other religions or sects in Iraq, a country known for its diverse population.
Rights groups oppose the bill
After significant opposition in late July, the bill was temporarily withdrawn, only to re-emerge on August 4 with support from powerful Shiite blocs in parliament.
While it remains unclear whether this latest attempt to change the law will succeed, activists like Kabashi are determined to continue opposing it.
Amnesty International has also voiced strong opposition, with Iraq researcher Razaw Salihy calling for the amendments to be “stopped in their tracks.” Salihy warned that the proposed changes would create a “ring of fire around women and children,” potentially legalising the marriage of girls as young as nine and jeopardizing their futures.
Supporters of the bill, such as lawmaker Raed al-Maliki, who introduced the bill argue that the objections come from those with a “malicious agenda that seeks to deny a significant portion of the Iraqi population” the right to have “their personal status determined by their beliefs.”
However, human rights advocates caution that enshrining religious freedom in law with vague language could strip women and girls of their rights and safety.
The proposed changes have sparked protests, with activists planning further demonstrations in Baghdad to oppose the bill. Rights groups warn that if passed, the law’s “vague and undefined language” could “strip women and girls of rights and safety.”
(With inputs from agencies)