A proposed bill in Iraq's parliament has caused widespread concern as it seeks to lower the legal marriage age for girls to just nine from 18. The Iraq Justice Ministry introduced the bill, aiming to amend the country's Personal Status Law.
Supporters of the bill argue it aims to align with Islamic law and protect young girls from "immoral relationships." However, opponents say this justification overlooks the harsh realities of child marriage.
The bill would allow families to choose whether religious authorities or civil courts handle family affairs, with critics raising concerns that this could reduce rights in areas like inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
If and when passed, the bill would allow marriage of girls as young as nine and boys as young as 15. Many fear this will increase child marriage and exploitation, undoing years of progress in promoting women's rights and gender equality.
Human rights organisations and women's groups have strongly opposed the bill, warning that it could harm young girls' education, health, and overall well-being in the country where, according to UNICEF, 28 per cent of girls are already married before turning 18.
"Passing this law would show a country moving backward, not forwards," an NDTV report quoted Human Rights Watch researcher Sarah Sanbar as saying.
Amal Kabashi from the Iraq Women's Network also criticised the bill, saying it gives men more control over family issues in an already conservative society.
In late July, the proposed changes were withdrawn after many lawmakers objected, but they resurfaced in an August 4 session with support from powerful Shia blocs in parliament.
The bill marks a significant shift from a 1959 law that placed family law authority in the hands of the state judiciary, rather than religious figures. The new proposal would reintroduce the option to apply religious rules, mainly from Shia and Sunni Islam, but does not address other religious or sectarian communities in Iraq.
Sanbar from Human Rights Watch warned that giving religious authorities control over marriage could "undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law" and potentially "legalise the marriage of girls as young as nine years old, stealing the futures and well-being of countless girls."
