A new proposal by conservative Shiite parties in Iraq seeks to lower the country’s legal marriage age from 18 to 9 years old.
This is the Third Attempt to Change the Law
According to The Telegraph, the bill would also eliminate women’s rights to divorce, parental custody, and inheritance.
The proposal aims to amend Iraq’s Personal Status Law 188, introduced in 1959, which was once considered one of the most progressive laws in the Middle East.
Supporters of the proposed changes argue the new law aligns with a strict interpretation of Islamic law and would protect young girls from “immoral relations.”
The proposal marks the third attempt to amend Law 188, following unsuccessful efforts in 2014 and 2017.
However, this time, the coalition supporting the bill holds a parliamentary majority, increasing its chances of passage.
Woman Would be More Vulnerable
If enacted, the legislation would severely impact women’s rights in Iraq.
Helle Lykke Nielsen, a Middle East studies professor at the University of Southern Denmark, warns that Iraqi women would become significantly more vulnerable under the new law, according to TV2.
She explains that Law 188 has provided a level of protection, allowing women to turn to courts to defend their rights.
Under the proposed law, girls as young as 10 or 11 could be sent to live with their husband’s family, stripping them of the limited protections they currently have.
Nielsen highlights that this shift would push Iraq closer to conditions observed in countries like Afghanistan, where young girls lack fundamental protections.
She also notes that this law reflects Iraq’s struggles to define its identity and governance following the fall of Saddam Hussein, which left a vacuum filled by traditional, Shiite factions that lacked influence during Saddam’s rule.
The proposal has drawn widespread condemnation from the European Parliament, which urged the Iraqi government to reject the bill, citing violations of Iraq’s international commitments to women’s rights.
If enacted, the legislation could severely damage Iraq’s international standing, potentially risking foreign aid due to the perceived regression in human rights.
The European Parliament expressed concerns that such a law would lead to an even stricter application of Sharia in Iraq and further erode the rights of women and girls in the region.
