Iraq’s recent proposal in parliament to shrink the legal age of marriage for girls to 9 years, has sparked row across the world. The igniting bill was brought forward by Iraq’s Justice Ministry to change the current legal age for marrige that is 18 years minimum.
The bill would let people choose whether religious authorities or the civil courts should handle family matters. Critics worry this could lead to reduced rights in areas like inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
If the law is passed, it would allow girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to get married, raising fears of an increase in child marriages and exploitation. Opponents argue that this would reverse years of progress in advancing women’s rights and gender equality.
Human rights groups, women’s organizations, and activists have strongly opposed the bill, warning that it could harm young girls’ education, health, and well-being. They point out that child marriage often leads to higher dropout rates, early pregnancies, and a greater risk of domestic violence.
According to UNICEF, 28 percent of girls in Iraq are already married before they turn 18.
Sarah Sanbar, a researcher from Human Rights Watch, said that passing this law would signal that Iraq is moving backward, not forward. Amal Kabashi from the Iraq Women’s Network also strongly criticized the amendment, saying it would give men more control over family matters in an already conservative society.
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