Iraq Legalizes Child Marriage as low as Age Nine: Parliament Passes Controversial Amendments

Iraq's parliament has recently passed amendments to its personal status law, igniting a firestorm of controversy over the legalization of child marriage. These amendments grant Islamic courts greater jurisdiction over family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, which critics argue effectively legalizes child marriage. 

Previously, the legal marriage age was set at 18, with provisions for 15-year-olds to marry with judicial consent. However, under the new law, clerics can now interpret Islamic law to potentially allow marriages of girls as young as nine years old, following the Jaafari school of Islamic law prominent among Shia communities in Iraq. 

This has led to widespread protests, particularly among women's rights and human rights groups, who claim the amendments undermine decades of legal protections for women and children. 

Activists like Intisar al-Mayali from the Iraqi Women's League have voiced strong opposition, stating that these changes will have devastating effects on the rights of women and girls. The session in which the law was passed was marred by procedural chaos, with allegations that the necessary quorum was not met. 

Proponents of the law, primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, argue that these changes align with Islamic principles and aim to reduce Western influence. International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned the law, warning of increased risks of sexual and physical abuse, health complications from early pregnancies, and educational deprivation for young girls. 

The move has sparked discussions globally, with some posts on X platform (previously Twitter) highlighting concerns about the normalization of pedophilia under religious guise. Critics fear that this could set a precedent for other countries to follow, potentially reversing progress on women's rights. 

Despite the backlash, the parliament speaker praised the amendments as an enhancement of justice in organizing citizens' daily lives. The law's passage has not only polarized Iraqi society but also brought international scrutiny, questioning Iraq's commitment to international human rights standards.