A proposed bill in Iraq’s parliament has ignited widespread outrage, as it seeks to lower the legal marriage age for girls to just 9 years old. The legislation, introduced by the Iraq Justice Ministry, aims to amend the current Personal Status Law.
The bill would allow citizens to choose between resolving family matters through religious authorities or the civil judiciary. Critics have warned this could severely undermine rights related to inheritance, divorce, and child custody. If passed, the bill would permit girls as young as 9 and boys as young as 15 to marry.
This proposal has sparked fears of increased child marriages and exploitation, effectively legalizing pedophilia. The bill has been rightly criticized as a barbaric step, taking the women’s rights movement back to the medieval era.
News Via: NDTV
