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Summary
Iraq government to lower the legal age of consent from 18 to nine, thereby legalising child marriage.
The Iraqi government is moving to amend the marriage law that allows men to marry young children as the government has reduced the age of consent from eighteen years to nine years.
The proposed amendment to Iraq’s “personal status law” was introduced by the dominant Shia Muslim parties in the Iraqi Parliament, a Shia Islamist political faction established in 1982 by Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim. This amendment is similar to the policies under Taliban rule and could lead to a significant setback for women’s and girls’ rights in the country.
The amendment would also strip Iraqi women of their rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance. The law would give religious authorities the power to officiate child marriages and allow parents to have arranged marriages for their young daughters.
The proposed changes would mark a shift from the 1959 legislation, also known as Law 188, which was introduced after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy. The law transferred family law authority from religious figures to the state judiciary. Despite previous attempts to amend the law, which failed in 2014 and 2017 largely due to backlash from Iraqi women, this is the first time Iraqi lawmakers appear likely to see it through.
The governing coalition argues that the move reflects a strict interpretation of Islamic law and aims to protect young girls from “immoral relationships.”
The second reading of the amendment to Law 188 (Personal status law) was passed on September 16. The Iraqi parliament will formally debate the latest amendments before putting them to a vote.
This news has brought a lot of reactions as opponents of the move have slammed the government for attempting to diminish the rights of women in Iraq.
“Iraq has lowered the age of consent for girls to 9 years old. A baby. Pre-pubertal. We are in very sad times.” @simisola10 says on X. “The girl child is under immense attack. Women’s rights have gone decades backwards. You should be very concerned if you are a woman or have a daughter.”
