Iraq Poised To ‘Lower Age Of Consent From 18 To 9’

Iraq is preparing to lower the legal age of consent from 18 to nine, allowing men to marry young children.

The proposed legislative amendment also strips women of their rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance.

Iraq’s parliament, which is dominated by a coalition of orthodox Shia Muslim parties, is set to vote on an amendment to repeal the country’s “personal status law”.

The legislation, also known as Law 188, was hailed as one of the most progressive in the Middle East when it was established in 1959, and it establishes an overarching set of norms for Iraqi families, regardless of religious affiliation.

In addition to lowering the legal marriage age, the amendment would deny women the right to divorce, child custody, and inheritance.

According to the ruling coalition, the decision is designed to safeguard young girls from “immoral relationships” and is consistent with a stringent interpretation of Islamic law.

The second reading of the modification to Law 188 was passed on September 16.

It is not the first time Shia parties in Iraq have attempted to reform the personal status law; previous proposals failed in 2014 and 2017, partly due to opposition from Iraqi women.

However, the coalition currently has a substantial legislative majority and is on the edge of pushing the amendment through, said Dr. Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at Chatham.

“It’s the closest it’s ever been,” he told The Telegraph. “It has more momentum than it’s ever had, primarily because of the Shia parties,” he said.

“It’s not all Shia parties, it’s just the specific ones that are empowered and are really pushing it.”

Dr Renad further stated that the proposed amendment was part of a larger political effort by Shia Islamist organizations to “consolidate their power” and recover credibility.

“Stressing the religious side is a way for them to try and regain some of the ideological legitimacy that has been waning over the last few years,” he told The Telegraph.

It is unclear when the change would be brought before parliament for a vote, but it might happen at any time, he said.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli