Iraq's shocking proposal: Lowering consent age to nine years
In Iraq, the ruling authorities are considering lowering the age of consent for young girls from 18 to 9 years. The changes proposed by the Shiite-dominated parliament would also restrict women's rights to divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
7:36 AM EST, November 11, 2024
Currently, in Iraq, the legal age for giving consent for sexual activities is 18 years, as regulated by the Personal Status Law Code of 1959, known as the "Ja'fari Law."
However, the Iraqi parliament, influenced by ultra-conservative Shiite religious groups, plans to change these regulations. They intend to lower the age from 18 to 9 years and further limit women's rights.
What does the change in law mean for Iraqi society?
The proposed changes could lead to the legalization of marriages with children under ten years old, effectively legalizing pedophilia and encouraging violence against children.
The new regulations would also permit short-term "pleasure marriages," which could be used as a legal guise for prostitution.
Women might be forced to pay their husbands for a divorce, and their rights to child custody would be curtailed. Under the new regulations, upon separation, fathers would automatically receive custody of the children. Women would also be deprived of rights to their husband's property after his death, rights that are currently protected under Sunni law.
"This is a catastrophe for women"
The first reading of this controversial bill occurred in August and triggered protests throughout Iraq. "This is a catastrophe for women," commented Raya Faiq, the coordinator of a coalition opposing the proposed legal changes.
"My husband and my family oppose child marriage. But imagine if my daughter gets married and my daughter’s husband wants to marry off my granddaughter as a child. The new law would allow him to do so. I would not be allowed to object," she explained.
Al-Hassan, a prominent women's rights activist in Iraq, stressed that the protection goal is the well-being of women and girls and the stability of society. "We are defending the rights of women and girls (and) protecting Iraqi society from disintegration and the establishment of sectarianism among the social fabric. What they aspire to in parliament is not in the interest of society, but their personal interest," she argued.
A group of 25 female members of the Iraqi parliament attempted to block the bill before the second reading, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The second debate on the bill occurred on September 16, but full implementation requires one more reading and additional parliamentary discussion.
