jfid – Iraq, a proposal to lower the minimum marriage age for girls to nine years old has sparked controversy and international attention.
Support for this proposal comes from some conservative political parties and religious groups who want to adopt stricter Islamic laws in personal matters like marriage.
They argue that allowing a choice between the existing civil law and religious rules can provide more freedom to practice their beliefs in family life.
Supporters of this proposal, such as Raed Al-Maliki, a member of parliament who also backed a previous anti-LGBTQ law, claim that opposition to this law comes from an agenda that seeks to deny certain communities the right to have their status determined by their beliefs.
However, this has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and women’s activists who emphasize that such a law could exacerbate human rights abuses and threaten the well-being of young girls.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have stated that lowering the marriage age could rob girls of their futures and well-being, as well as violate their rights to education and protection from violence.
They also warn that this practice could increase the number of unregistered child marriages and worsen gender inequality.
The proposed law is currently being considered by the Iraqi parliament and continues to face opposition from various domestic and international groups who urge Iraq to maintain existing legal protections for women and children.
