Iraq's parliament is set to amend its personal status law, lowering the legal age of consent to nine and removing women’s rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance. The proposed change reflects a strict interpretation of Islamic law and is backed by a conservative Shia coalition.
Iraq’s parliament is preparing to vote on a controversial amendment to the country’s “personal status law” that would drastically lower the legal age of consent from 18 to just nine years old. This proposed change would allow men to marry young children, a move that has sparked widespread condemnation. In addition to reducing the marriage age, the amendment would strip women of their rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance, significantly rolling back women’s rights in the country.
The proposed amendment, championed by a coalition of conservative Shia Muslim parties, reflects a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Proponents argue that the change is necessary to protect young girls from “immoral relationships,” but critics warn that it is a direct attack on women’s rights and could normalize child marriage. The amendment is set to override Law 188, a progressive legal framework introduced in 1959 that governed family affairs, irrespective of religious sects, and was seen as one of the Middle East's most forward-thinking laws of its time.
Despite previous unsuccessful attempts to amend the law in 2014 and 2017, the current political climate, with the Shia coalition holding a parliamentary majority, has brought the amendment closer to passing. Analysts suggest the move is part of a broader effort by Shia Islamist groups to consolidate political power and regain ideological legitimacy, pushing a religious agenda in a nation still struggling with sectarian divisions. While the vote timing remains uncertain, the amendment is gaining momentum and may pass soon.
