The country’s marriage legislation is about to be amended in Iraq to let males to wed girls as young as nine. According to The Telegraph, amendments have also been suggested to deny women the rights to inheritance, divorce, and child custody.
Additionally, the law would provide residents the option of deciding family matters through the civil judiciary or religious authority.
In an effort to shield females from “immoral relationships,” the conservative administration, which is run by a coalition of Shia parties, hopes to adopt the proposed change. On September 16, the law’s second amendment was approved.
Named “Law 188”, it was regarded as one of the most progressive laws in West Asia when introduced in 1959, the report claimed. It provided an overarching set of rules to govern Iraqi families, irrespective of their religious sect.
The coalition government said the proposed amendment is in line with strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law and aims to “protect” young girls. The government, with parliamentary majority, is expected to push through the legislation despite opposition from Iraqi women groups.
According to UNICEF, high child marriage rates are already prevalent across Iraq. Around 28% of Iraqi girls are married by the age of 18 and the proposed amendments are expected to worsen the state of affairs.
Dr Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at Chatham House told The Telegraph that the move is the latest attempt by Shia Islamists to consolidate power and regain legitimacy.
“It’s not all Shia parties, it’s just the specific ones that are empowered and are really pushing it,” he was quoted by the website as saying.
“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,” Mansour added.
Human rights advocates and scholars in Iraq voiced concerns that the proposed modifications will eliminate women’s rights and prioritize religion.
The study also stated that Iraq will mirror Islamic governments like Afghanistan and Iran, where a theologist serves as the country’s top authority.
A loophole in the country’s law permits religious leaders to perform child weddings as long as the girl’s father consents. This loophole is said to have contributed to a high frequency of underage marriages. Activists fear that the new law would make such weddings legal.
According to Human Rights Watch, the change increases the danger of sexual and physical assault against young girls while also denying them access to school and employment.
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Source: HT
