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The proposed amendment to Iraq's Personal Status Law, which would lower the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to a mere nine years old, has sparked widespread outrage and concern both domestically and internationally. This drastic change, driven by a coalition of conservative Shia Islamist parties, would fundamentally erode women's rights and open the door to child marriage, a practice widely recognized as a violation of human rights. This amendment would allow for marriages to be sanctioned by religious institutions rather than courts, effectively stripping women of their right to divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
The amendment, which has already been met with strong opposition from human rights groups and lawmakers, is seen as a step backward for women's rights in Iraq, where child marriage is already a prevalent issue. Statistics from UNICEF reveal that over 28% of Iraqi women are married before the age of 18, and the existing legal loopholes allowing religious leaders to perform marriages without legal oversight have exacerbated this problem. The proposed change is likely to exacerbate these issues by further legitimizing and normalizing child marriage.
The article goes on to provide a comparative overview of marriage age laws across the globe, highlighting the diverse range of legal frameworks governing marriage. It showcases countries like Afghanistan and Yemen, where the minimum age for marriage is 15 with parental consent, and others like Malaysia, Brazil, Chile, and Italy, where the minimum age is 16. The article contrasts these with countries like Bangladesh, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Russia, Botswana, Chad, Eswatini, Guinea, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Namibia, and Zambia, where the minimum age for marriage is 18. The article concludes by highlighting that while some countries have tightened their marriage laws in recent years, others, like Iraq, are moving in the opposite direction, posing a significant threat to the rights and well-being of girls and women.
Source: In Iraq, men may soon be allowed to marry 9-year-olds. What are world's lowest marriage ages?