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‘This is Sharia’: Iraq on verge of new law reducing legal marriage age for girls to NINE

August 9, 2024 | | Print Article

Iraq’s parliament is once again causing outrage over the proposal of a bill that would reduce the age of marriage for girls to nine years old, basically making pedophilia legal.

This is nothing new. Iraq’s hardliners have been trying to push this through for years but this time it might just become law. The legal age for a girl to marry in the Islamic nation is currently 18, according to the Economic Times, although some claim it is 15.

The move smacks of Sharia law and was proposed by the Iraq Justice Ministry. It would amend the Personal Status Law, negating the minimum age of marriage as 18.

“The bill would allow citizens to choose between religious authorities or the civil judiciary to decide on family affairs. Critics fear this will lead to a slashing of rights in matters of inheritance, divorce, and child custody,” NDTV World reported.

“If passed, the bill would allow girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to wed, sparking fears of increased child marriage and exploitation. Critics argue that this regressive move would undermine decades of progress in promoting women’s rights and gender equality,” the media outlet added.

“Human rights organizations, women’s groups, and civil society activists have vehemently opposed the bill, warning of serious consequences for young girls’ education, health, and well-being. They argue that child marriage leads to increased dropout rates, early pregnancies, and a heightened risk of domestic violence,” NDTV World continued.

The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, estimates that 28 percent of girls under the age of 18 are currently married off. This new law would drastically increase that number.

“Passing this law would show a country moving backward, not forwards,” Human Rights Watch researcher Sarah Sanbar remarked to NDTV World.

She’s not the only one making that assertion either. Amal Kabashi of the Iraq Women’s Network is saying the same thing and strongly opposes the move. She claims that the amendment “provides huge leeway for male dominance over family issues” in a society that is already suppressed culturally.

There was harsh pushback from many lawmakers in Iraq’s government when the proposed changes were initially introduced, so in late July, parliament withdrew them. But they resurfaced in an August 4 session and received heavy support from the powerful Shia blocs that dominate the chamber.

“The proposed changes would mark a shift from the 1959 legislation. This law, enacted 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 to apply religious rules, primarily from Shia and Sunni Islam, but does not mention other religious or sectarian communities within Iraq’s diverse population,” NDTV World wrote.

“Proponents of the bill claim it aims to standardize Islamic law and protect young girls from ‘immoral relationships.’ However, opponents counter that this reasoning is flawed and ignores the harsh realities of child marriage,” the outlet continued not stating that what is prized most by men in Iraq is a virgin bride, so the sooner they marry, the greater the chance the girl will still be one.

Sanbar contended that the amendment would “undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law,” and “could legalize the marriage of girls as young as nine years old, stealing the futures and well-being of countless girls.”

“Girls belong on the playground and in school, not in a wedding dress,” she argued.

It is unknown if the amendment will pass but given the strength of the Shia blocs, it’s a pretty good bet that it will.

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