Iraq Proposes Controversial Bill to Lower Marriage Age for Girls to Nine and Boys to Fifteen – Human rights organizations expressed concern

Iraq is set to introduce a controversial bill that could lower the minimum marriage age to nine for girls and fifteen for boys, sparking widespread concern among human rights advocates. The proposed law, presented in the Iraqi parliament, is seen by critics as a severe violation of women’s rights in a society already marked by patriarchal norms.

Key Provisions and Concerns

According to AFP, the draft bill proposes that couples choose between the Sunni or Shia sect for resolving “all matters of personal status.” If there is a dispute between spouses over which doctrine to follow, the husband’s doctrine will prevail unless evidence suggests otherwise. The bill mandates Shia and Sunni endowments to present a “code of legal rulings” to Iraq’s Parliament within six months of ratification, transferring the authority to sanctify marriages from courts to religious endowment offices.

The Shia code will be based on “Jaafari jurisprudence,” derived from the teachings of the sixth Shiite Imam, Ja’afar Al Sadiq, which permits marriage for girls as young as nine and boys as young as fifteen. This proposal has faced backlash from human rights groups and activists, who fear it will legitimize child marriage and further erode women’s rights in Iraq.

Historical Context

The 1959 Personal Status Law in Iraq was a landmark for women’s rights, transferring jurisdiction over family matters from religious authorities to the state and setting the minimum marriage age at 18. The new bill threatens to dismantle these protections by reinstating religious laws, specifically for Shia and Sunni Muslims, without addressing the rights of other religious groups in Iraq’s diverse population.

Reactions and Opposition

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the bill. Sarah Sanbar, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, warned that passing the bill would represent a significant step backward for the country. Activists have voiced concerns that the bill’s vague and undefined language could strip women and girls of their rights and protections, increasing male dominance in family matters. There have already been protests against the bill, and more are planned in Baghdad.

Supporters’ Arguments

Supporters of the bill, like MP Raed al-Maliki, argue that objections are driven by a “malicious agenda” aimed at depriving a significant portion of the Iraqi population of their right to determine personal status based on their beliefs. However, human rights advocates caution that including religious freedom in the law’s ambiguous language could have dangerous consequences, especially for women and girls.

As the debate continues, the future of the bill remains uncertain, highlighting deep divisions within Iraqi society over the role of religion and the state in governing personal and family matters.