Legal marriage age of girls to be reduced to nine years, 15 for boys; Iraq's move to amend marriage law in controversy

BAGHDAD: Protests have intensified against the bill introduced in the Iraqi parliament to lower the marriage age of girls to nine years. The minimum age for marriage is 18 at present. This Act is being amended. The bill also bill proposes allowing citizens to choose religious authorities or the judicial system to decide family matters.

If the bill is passed by Parliament, the minimum age of marriage for girls will be nine years and that of boys will be 15 years. Human rights organizations, civil society activists and women's organizations have come out against this move. Human rights organizations say that the bill will lead to curtailment of women's rights in matters such as divorce and child protection. The organizations say it will also lead to dropout of students from schools, an increase in child marriage and exploitation and denial of women's rights. Human rights activists also pointed out that the consequences of this will be domestic violence and early pregnancy.

Human Rights Watch, a human rights organization, responded that the law amendment will move Iraq backwards and that many child marriages still take place in Iraq. A bill was introduced at the end of last July regarding the lowering of the marriage age, but it was withdrawn due to protests. The bill was again introduced in the parliamentary session with the support of Shia groups.