Women’s rights organisations, activists, and parliamentarians have strongly condemned a controversial draft law introduced by the Coordination Framework, a coalition of conservative Shia Islamist parties. The proposed amendment to the 1959 Personal Status Law, considered one of Iraq’s most progressive, has sparked protests and widespread criticism across Iraq. Critics fear the changes could pave the way for the legalisation of child marriage.
Under the amendments, couples would have to choose between Sunni and Shia sects to regulate their marital affairs, raising fears that clerics, rather than courts, will finalise marriages. Critics argue that this could legitimise marital unions to involve girls as young as nine under sectarian interpretations of religious law. Legal experts and human rights activists warn that such changes could exacerbate gender inequality and lead to increased violence.
The bill has also been criticised for potentially deepening sectarian divisions within Iraq by allowing divorce and other family matters to be handled according to sectarian laws. This could give Shia and Sunni foundations greater influence over personal status issues.
The backlash has been significant, with women’s rights groups and activists taking to the streets in protest. On 28 July, members of the Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) and other activists gathered in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, holding placards reading ‘No to underage marriage’ and ‘The era of female slavery is over’. Yanar Mohammed, president of OWFI, accused the Coordination Council of using these “archaic” laws to distract from its own shortcomings, including rampant corruption.
Iraqi MP Aso Feridun has also voiced strong opposition to the proposed amendments, pointing out that under the changes girls could be married off as soon as they reach puberty, which some sectarian interpretations say begins at the age of nine. Feridun warned that such changes pose a serious threat to society, saying: “Children married at this age cannot possibly understand the implications of marriage. She added that nearly 100 MPs are opposed to the bill and have made efforts to prevent it from reaching parliament, although these efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
Despite widespread opposition, the Coordination Framework insists that the amendments are constitutional and do not contradict the principles of Sharia or democracy. They argue that the proposed changes would allow Iraqis to follow their religious beliefs in personal matters, a right they claim is enshrined in the Iraqi constitution.
As protests continue and opposition within parliament grows, the fate of the controversial bill remains uncertain. But the intense debate it has sparked highlights the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in the country.
