Source:Africapublicity
Iraq’s parliament has taken a step backward in protecting women’s and girls’ rights by proposing an amendment to the Personal Status Law. This amendment would lower the legal age of marriage from 18 to 9 years old, allowing girls to be married off at an alarmingly young age .
The proposed law has sparked widespread concern among human rights groups, who argue that it would have disastrous consequences for girls’ education, health, and well-being. Child marriage is already a significant problem in Iraq, with 28% of girls married before the age of 18, according to UNICEF .
The amendment would also grant religious authorities the power to govern marriage and inheritance matters, effectively stripping women and girls of their legal protections. This move would undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law and remove critical safeguards for women regarding divorce and inheritance .
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the proposed amendment, urging Iraqi lawmakers to reject it. They argue that the law would violate international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child .
The passage of this law would be a devastating blow to the progress made in protecting women’s and girls’ rights in Iraq. It’s imperative that Iraqi lawmakers prioritize the well-being and safety of their citizens, particularly vulnerable girls, and reject this regressive amendment.
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