Iraq To Change Marriage Laws, Allowing Men To Marry 9-Year-Old Girls: Report

Last Updated:November 12, 2024, 11:15 IST

The amendment is intended to protect the young girls from "immoral relationships", the ruling coalition has said.

Iraqi parliament to amend Law 188 (AP Image)

In a massive crackdown on women’s rights, Iraq is set to reduce the marriageable age for women from 18 to 9, which would allow men to marry young children, The Telegraph reported.

Iraq’s parliament, which is dominated by a coalition of parties comprising conservative Shia Muslims, will vote for an amendment to the country’s “personal status law". Once the amendment gets the nod, women would be deprived of rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance, according to the report.

Law To Protect Girls From Immoral Relationships: Ruling Coalition

The ruling coalition termed the move a strict interpretation of Islamic law and aims to shield young girls from “immoral relationships".

Also called Law 188, the law was considered one of the most progressive in the Middle East since its introduction in 1959. It laid down rules for governing the Iraqi family affairs regardless of their religious sect, The Telegraph reported.

The latest proposed amendment will not be the first time that the Shia parties in Iraq have attempted to amend the personal status law. The second reading of the amendment to Law 188 was passed on September 16. The previous attempts at amendments were foiled by Iraqi women’s backlash in 2014 and 2017.

Baghdad, Iraq

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