The Iraqi parliament has passed controversial amendments to its personal status laws that could allow child marriages, sparking outrage among women’s rights activists and legal experts.
Are child marriages legal in Iraq now that this law was passed?
Under the newly passed amendments, clerics will be permitted to govern family issues according to their interpretations of Islamic law.
This could enable the marriage of girls as young as nine, aligning with the Jaafari school of Islamic jurisprudence followed by many Shia authorities in Iraq.
This shifts the minimum marriage age from the current national standard of 18, with limited exceptions, to potentially far younger ages depending on religious rulings.
Critics argue the law undermines Iraq’s 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family laws to provide protections for women and children.
“This will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls,” said Intisar al-Mayali, a human rights activist and member of the Iraqi Women’s League.
She added that the legislation violates international human rights standards by legalising child marriages.
According to reports, the decision has been met with widespread condemnation from women’s rights groups, parliamentarians, and international observers.
Coalition 188, a feminist advocacy group, released a statement highlighting the potential for abuse.
“This law could enable forced marriages, financial exploitation, and legalize what amounts to child rape,” said spokesperson Raya Faiq.
Controversy also surrounds the parliamentary session in which the law was passed.
According to some MPs, the vote occurred without a legal quorum, with many members either abstaining or absent.
“This process was procedurally flawed,” said Alia Nassif, a member of the legal committee.
Nassif and other lawmakers plan to challenge the law in Iraq’s federal court, citing violations of parliamentary procedure.