Iraq's Parliament Passes Law Allowing Marriage of Girls as Young as Nine Under Jaafari School

Jan 22, 2025, 01:25 PM

Iraq's parliament has passed amendments to the country's personal status law, which critics argue effectively legalizes child marriage by allowing the marriage of girls as young as nine years old. The amendments grant Islamic courts increased authority over family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Under the new law, clerics can rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law, which includes the Jaafari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities in Iraq, permitting marriage of girls as young as nine. Proponents of the changes, primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, argue that the amendments align the law with Islamic principles and aim to reduce Western influence on Iraqi culture. Critics, including human rights activists, contend that the law undermines the 1959 Personal Status Law, which had unified family law and established safeguards for women.