Iraq changes law to allow girls to marry at 15

Iraq Child Marriage Law

Iraq’s parliament adjusted a law that would lower the minimum marriage age for girls to be 15, The National reported on January 21st.

This change amends the country’s 1959 Personal Status Law, which is regarded to be one of the most progressive family laws within the Middle East.

Widespread protests were sparked by the revised law, which grants religious authorities more control over family matters. In addition, the law removes divorce and inheritance rights for women.

The amendments passed despite human rights groups and activists opposing it. Previously, the legal age of marriage in Iraq was 18, allowing marriage at 15 but only under strict conditions, such as with the acceptance of guardians and a judge.

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The process of passing the bill began in August 2024, with proposals which may have permitted girls as young as nine to legally marry. But a public outcry prompted Shiite parliamentarians, who are the predominant backers of the amendment, to revise the proposal, ultimately setting the minimum marriage age for women at 15.

Marriage at age 14 will be permitted following judicial approval.

Whilst the move is primarily supported by Shiite parliamentarians, Sunni political parties will practice the law which sets the age of marriage at 18.

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The approved changes require the Scientific Council in the Scholar Council of the Shiite Endowment Office to create a “code of Sharia rulings on personal status matters” and submit this to the parliament within a six-month time frame.

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The amendments give people the option to either follow the 1959 Personal Status Law or the rules of the Shiite Jaafari Islamic school of  jurisprudence.

Human Rights Watch said that restricting who has certain rights based on religious sect, rather than citizenship, will lead to sectarianism in the country.

In order to gain support from Sunni and Kurdish political parties, the bill’s proposers put the amendment forward alongside two other disputed bills: a general amnesty and property restitution which intends to bring back confiscated lands to Kurdish and Turkmen owners in areas that are under dispute.

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The vote caused chaos, prompting politicians who were against the amendments or the passing of the three laws, to launch a campaign to gather signatures, to get rid of the Parliament Speaker.

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MP Mustafa Sanad said: “This is a major violation committed by the House of Representatives, as they voted on three laws at the same time.”

“This is a violation. This House of Representatives is legislating chaos instead of laws,” Sanad added.

Shiite parties are beginning to gain more power in Parliament, holding a minimum of 130 seats in the 329-seat legislative body, enabling the legislation to be passed.

The National

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