Iraq passes law that could in effect legalize child marriage

Girls as young as nine could be allowed to marry

Stars Insider

22/01/25 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Social issues

On January 21, Iraq’s parliament passed a law that critics say could in effect legalize child marriage. The amendments made to the country’s personal status law give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Currently, the legal age to get married in Iraq is 18 (in most cases). However, the new amendments would allow clerics to decide this age based on their interpretation of Islamic law. 

Some interpretations, such as the Jaafari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities, allow for girls as young as nine to marry. Advocates for the changes, who are primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, have defended them as a means to reduce Western influence on Iraqi culture and more closely align it with Islamic principles. 

Activists, however, argue that it will remove safeguards for women. Intisar al-Mayali, a human rights activist and a member of the Iraqi Women’s League, said that it “will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls … and will disrupt the protection mechanisms for divorce, custody, and inheritance for women.”

On the same day, parliament also passed two more controversial bills, including a general law that could give a pass to people involved in corruption and embezzlement. All three were to be voted on together, a process that was highly contested and left the session in chaos. A parliamentary official commented, “Half of the lawmakers present in the session did not vote, which broke the legal quorum.” 

Child marriage remains a global crisis, depriving millions of girls of education, health, and future opportunities. Despite progress in some areas, rates remain alarmingly high. Click on to learn more about the sad reality of child marriage around the world.

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