Iraq to Legalize Child Marriages at Age 9
Iraq to Legalize Child Marriages at Age 9
Iraq’s parliament is set to vote on a controversial legal amendment allowing men to marry girls as young as nine, a move that’s sparking outrage among activists who warn of a dangerous rollback of women’s rights. The amendment would also reduce women’s access to divorce, child custody, and inheritance, marking a drastic shift from “Law 188,” a 1959 statute once seen as a progressive framework for family rights across Iraq’s diverse religious landscape.
The conservative government, led by a coalition of Shia parties, argues that the changes protect young girls from “immoral relationships” by applying strict interpretations of Islamic Sharia law. Activists, however, claim this could fuel child marriages, exploit legal loopholes, and place young girls at higher risk of violence. Iraq to Legalize Child Marriages at Age 9
According to UNICEF, approximately 28% of Iraqi girls marry before 18, a statistic that could worsen under the new laws. With parallels to Islamic regimes in Afghanistan and Iran, this legislative shift is seen by many as a bid to bolster ideological legitimacy among select Shia parties, risking the erasure of decades of progress for Iraqi women’s rights.
