A proposed bill in Iraq’s parliament has ignited widespread outrage and concern, as it seeks to lower the legal marriage age for girls to just 9 years old. The controversial legislation, introduced by Iraq’s Justice Ministry, aims to amend the country’s Personal Status Law, which currently sets the minimum marriage age at 18.
The bill would allow citizens to choose whether religious authorities or the civil judiciary should handle family matters. Critics fear this will significantly reduce rights related to inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
If passed, the bill would permit girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to marry, raising concerns about increased child marriage and exploitation. Critics argue that this backward step would erode decades of progress in advancing women’s rights and gender equality.
Human rights organizations, women’s groups, and civil society activists have strongly opposed the bill, warning of severe consequences for young girls’ education, health, and well-being. They point out that child marriage leads to higher dropout rates, early pregnancies, and a greater risk of domestic violence.
According to UNICEF, 28 per cent of girls in Iraq are already married before the age of 18.
Sarah Sanbar, a researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), stated that passing this law would indicate a country regressing rather than progressing.
Amal Kabashi of the Iraq Women’s Network also expressed strong opposition, arguing that the amendment “grants excessive control to men over family matters” in an already conservative society.
Parliament withdrew the proposed changes in late July after many lawmakers raised objections. However, the bill resurfaced in an August 4 session, gaining support from powerful Shia blocs that dominate the chamber.
The proposed changes would represent a shift from the 1959 legislation that, after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy, transferred family law authority from religious figures to the state judiciary. The new bill would reintroduce the option of applying religious rules, primarily from Shia and Sunni Islam, without mentioning other religious or sectarian communities in Iraq’s diverse population.
Supporters of the bill claim it aims to standardize Islamic law and protect young girls from “immoral relationships.” However, opponents argue that this reasoning is flawed and overlooks the harsh realities of child marriage.
Sanbar from HRW noted that by giving marriage authority to religious figures, the amendment would “undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law” and could “legalize the marriage of girls as young as nine, robbing countless girls of their futures and well-being.”
“Girls belong on the playground and in school, not in a wedding dress,” she added.
It remains uncertain whether this latest attempt to change the law will succeed where previous efforts have failed.
