Proposal to lower marriage age for girls in Iraq to 9 years

Last Updated on August 10, 2024 9:19 am

Iraq wants to lower the legal age of marriage for girls from 18 years to 9 years. In the meantime, a proposal has been raised in the country’s parliament. There has been widespread anger and concern among the citizens.

According to the news, on Friday (August 9), the government has brought a proposal to the parliament to lower the age of marriage for girls. The proposal states that the age of marriage for girls should be reduced from 18 to 9 years.

Iraq’s Shiite Islamist groups have been pushing parliament to legalize child marriage for some time now. They demand that the country’s personal law number 188 of 1959 be amended to lower the age of marriage for girls from 18 to 9 years.

The proposal was brought in the face of that demand. If it is passed, there will be no legal complications in marrying off a 9-year-old girl. And boys will be allowed to marry at the age of 15.

However, local human rights organizations, women’s groups and civil society members have strongly criticized the proposal. termed the proposal as a threat to the education, health and well-being of young girls. This will increase the fear of inheritance, divorce and safety of children in family sources.

They also say that whatever progress has been made for equal rights of men and women for a long time, if this proposal is passed, it will be undermined. They also think that women will be deprived of their rightful rights.

According to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, 28 percent of girls in Iraq are married before the age of 18. Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher Sarah Sunbar said that if this law is passed, the country will go backwards.