Iraq's parliament announced Tuesday the passage of an amendment to the Personal Status Law, triggering a wave of criticism over fears it could facilitate child marriages.
While the amendment maintains the legal marriage age at 18—or 15 with judicial approval—it grants Iraqis the choice between civil or religious frameworks, including Shiite and Sunni laws, for managing family matters such as marriage. Critics argue that this shift risks undermining safeguards, potentially enabling unregistered marriages and child unions under certain interpretations of Shiite Islamic law.
Some lawmakers present at the vote alleged procedural flaws and vowed to appeal. "This decision threatens women’s rights and violates international principles of equality," independent lawmaker Mohammed Abd al-Amir Anouz told AFP, warning the law could sidestep existing protections for women and girls.
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Human rights organizations have condemned the amendment. Human Rights Watch stated in August that it could "have disastrous effects on women’s and girls’ rights, allowing marriages for girls as young as 9," and criticized the amendment as a significant setback for equality under Iraqi law.
Amnesty International echoed the warning in October, cautioning that unregistered child marriages could leave women and girls without protections in cases of divorce or inheritance.
The backlash extended to social media, where users decried the law. One widely shared post featuring a blindfolded girl read, "Approving the Personal Status Law legitimizes injustice." Another post condemned the amendment for "placing marriage agreements in the hands of clerics without any rights for women."
Supporters of the law argue that it ensures freedom of belief by allowing Iraqis to choose their preferred legal framework. However, critics remain alarmed over its potential implications, with some viewing the amendment as a “devastating step backward” for the rights of Iraqi women and girls.