Iraq Proposes Bill to Lower Marriage Age for Girls to Nine, Raising Concerns

Aug 9

2 min read

Iraq's recent proposal to lower the minimum legal marriage age for girls to as young as nine has ignited widespread concern and opposition among activists and citizens. The bill, introduced by the justice ministry, seeks to amend the nation's Personal Status Law, which currently sets the minimum age for marriage at 18.

Iraq's proposed bill to lower the marriage age for girls to nine has ignited protests and concerns about increasing child marriages and undermining women's rights.

The proposed changes have alarmed rights advocates, who warn that the amendment could lead to an increase in child marriages and undermine women's rights in the deeply patriarchal society. The bill suggests that Muslims of legal age could choose whether their family matters are governed by the 1959 Personal Status Law or Sharia Islamic rules. Critics fear that this could erode rights related to inheritance, divorce, and child custody.

Human Rights Watch researcher Sarah Sanbar criticized the bill, stating, “Passing this law would show a country moving backwards, not forwards.” Amal Kabashi of the Iraq Women's Network emphasized that the amendment would grant significant power to male figures in family matters, reinforcing patriarchal structures.

Raed al-Maliki, the lawmaker behind the amendment, has denied claims that the bill would allow for the marriage of minors, asserting that the proposal is intended to provide more flexibility in family law.

The 1959 Personal Status Law, enacted after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy, shifted the authority over family matters from religious figures to the state judiciary. UNICEF reports that 28 percent of girls in Iraq are already married before turning 18. The proposed amendment, supported by conservative Shiite lawmakers, aims to weaken the 1959 law and incorporate religious rules from both Shiite and Sunni Islam.

Under the new bill, Shiite and Sunni institutions have six months to present their respective sets of rules for parliamentary approval. The bill's reappearance in August, after being withdrawn in July due to widespread objections, reflects the ongoing influence of conservative blocs within the Iraqi parliament. The fate of the amendment remains uncertain as debates continue.