Iraq bill proposes to lower legal age of marriage for girls to just 9 years, guess it for boys
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Heard any nation lowering the legal age of marriage for girls from 18 to just 9 years old? This is actually happening in Iraq as a related proposed bill, introduced in parliament, has ignited widespread outrage and concern.
Introduced by the Iraq Justice Ministry, the controversial law aims to amend the country’s Personal Status Law, which currently sets the minimum marriage age at 18. The bill would give citizens the option to choose between religious authorities or the civil judiciary to settle family matters. Critics fear this could erode rights related to inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
If passed, the law would permit girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to marry, raising fears of increased child marriage and exploitation. Opponents argue that this regressive step would reverse decades of progress in advancing women’s rights and gender equality.
Human rights organizations, women’s advocacy groups, and civil society activists have strongly opposed the bill, warning of the severe impacts on young girls’ education, health, and overall well-being. They highlight that child marriage often leads to higher dropout rates, early pregnancies, and an increased risk of domestic abuse.
According to UNICEF, 28 per cent of girls in Iraq are already married before they turn 18. “Approving this law would signal a country moving backward, not forward,” said a Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher. Another activist also expressed strong opposition, stating that the amendment “allows for greater male dominance over family matters” in a society that is already conservative.
Supporters of the bill, however, argue that it aims to standardise Islamic law and protect young girls from “immoral relationships”. However, opponents dismiss this reasoning as flawed, pointing out the harsh realities of child marriage.
