Iraq's controversial family law amendments spark outrage over child marriage

Iraq’s parliament passed three controversial laws on January 21, igniting fierce debate across the country. 

Among the most contentious was an amendment to the Personal Status Law, which critics claim could effectively legalize child marriage, Caliber.Az reports, citing US media.

The amendments, which grant Islamic courts greater authority over matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance, have been sharply criticized by activists. They argue that the changes undermine Iraq’s 1959 Personal Status Law, a progressive piece of legislation that unified family law and introduced protections for women’s rights.

The changes, championed by conservative Shiite lawmakers, are seen as a step toward aligning Iraq’s laws with Islamic principles, with an emphasis on reducing Western influence in the country’s legal system.

Currently, the Iraqi law sets the legal age for marriage at 18, with some exceptions. Under the new amendments, clerics would be allowed to rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law. This has raised concerns, as some interpretations of Islamic law permit the marriage of girls as young as nine, particularly under the Jaafari school of law followed by many Shiite authorities in Iraq.

The parliament also passed a general amnesty law that is seen as benefiting Sunni detainees, but critics argue it could allow individuals involved in corruption and embezzlement to avoid punishment. In addition, lawmakers approved a land restitution law aimed at addressing long-standing Kurdish territorial claims.

Human rights activist Intisar al-Mayali, a member of the Iraqi Women’s League, condemned the amendments to the Personal Status Law, warning that they would have “disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls.” She argued that the changes would pave the way for child marriages, violating girls’ rights to childhood and disrupting legal protections for women in matters of divorce, custody, and inheritance.

The session ended in chaos, with accusations of procedural violations and widespread unrest.

In a separate incident on the same day, an explosion at an ammunition depot in the al-Tarmiyah district, north of Baghdad, claimed the lives of at least three officers, including the national security chief for the area. Four others were wounded. The explosion occurred as a joint force of the Iraqi army and national security service were acting on intelligence reports regarding the Islamic State group’s activity in the region.

By Tamilla Hasanova