Iraq is passing a law that would allow men to marry girls as young as 9 years old, but opponents say it would “legalize child rape”.
steal the cradle
The proposed law was “noted as one of the most progressive laws in the Middle East at the time it was introduced in 1959, and is a comprehensive set of laws governing the affairs of Iraqi families, regardless of religious denomination.” It was reported that the amendment would amend “Act 188, which stipulates the regulations.” Telegraph.
Law 188 requires women to be at least 18 years of age to legally marry, but women may marry at least 15 years of age with judicial approval. According to UNICEF research, 28 percent of Iraqi girls are married before the age of 18.
However, a loophole in the law allows religious leaders to officiate the marriages of young girls with the consent of the father. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), 22 percent of these unions involve girls under the age of 14.
The amendment would “legalize these religious marriages, putting young girls at risk of sexual and physical violence and being denied access to education and employment,” the Telegraph wrote.
Women would also be stripped of their rights to divorce, custody, and inheritance.
“The proposed amendments do more than simply undermine these rights,” Sarah Sambar of Human Rights Watch told the Telegraph. “That would erase them.”
Musawa, which describes itself as a “global movement for equality and justice for Muslim families,” condemned the amendment, saying:
The potential impact of this bill is dire and far-reaching, as it puts the lives and limbs of women and girls at risk and impacts future generations. Opening the door to child marriage puts children at risk of serious psychological and physical harm.
(The group also claimed that child marriage was an affront to Islam, which must have come as a surprise to its founder, who married a six-year-old girl and ended the marriage three years later.)
they call the law sharia
Law 188 has remained secure, albeit imperfect, for more than 40 years. Then, in 2003, the United States illegally invaded Iraq and ousted Saddam Hussein from power. Since then, Baghdad has come under increasing influence from Iran's Shiite regime. Congress has tried twice to amend the law but failed. This time, however, the Shiite coalition has a majority, and there is a good chance that the amendment will pass.
“This is the closest we've ever come,” Renad Mansour, a senior fellow at London-based think tank Chatham House, told the Telegraph. “It's stronger than ever, mainly because of the Shiite parties.”
Not all Iraqi women stand idly by as their rights are threatened. In August, a coalition of activist groups organized protests across the country. Coordinator Raya Faik told the Guardian the amendment was a “disaster for women”.
She explained:
My husband and family are against child marriage. But imagine that my daughter gets married and her husband wants to marry off my granddaughter as a child. A new law would allow him to do so. You will not be allowed to object. This law legalizes child rape.
Opponents say the law stems from two factors: male lust and religious sectarianism.
Iraqi female lawmaker Alia Nassif told the Guardian:
Unfortunately, the male legislators who support this law use masculine language about what's wrong with marrying a minor. Their thinking is narrow-minded. They do not consider that they are the legislators who decide the fate of the people, but rather approve all this according to the masculine way of thinking.
Similarly, Iraqi feminist Asra al-Hassan told the Telegraph: “What they want in parliament is not the interests of society, but the interests of individuals.”
sect and violence
She, like others, is concerned that the proposed amendment will increase sectarian tensions.
“We defend the rights of women and girls and protect Iraqi society from disintegration and the establishment of sectarianism within the social structure,” she said.
Mansour agreed, saying, “It would bring everything back to the sect.”
According to the Telegraph,
The proposed amendments would give Muslim citizens the option of choosing either the existing largely secular personal status law or religious law, depending on their sect, as the basis for managing their personal affairs.
But ultimately, this decision rests solely on the man's side.
“The draft law clearly states that in the event of a dispute between husband and wife, the husband's sect will take precedence,” Sambar said. “This would strip women of many protections…undermining the principle of equality before the law.”
It can also confer legal privileges to women of certain denominations while disadvantaging others.
The amendment was read twice in Parliament. The Telegraph reported that the next vote will be held “when you never know”.
The US government bears considerable responsibility for this situation. In addition to overthrowing Saddam's secular state and thereby inviting Iranian influence, it continues to unconstitutionally funnel billions of taxpayer dollars to Baghdad. However, the Daily Caller said:
No amount of cash will ever allow Iraqi women to burn their bras, and Iraqi men will never be able to consider their “toxic masculinity.” Liberals (both the progressive left and the neoconservative right) must accept that Baghdad will never be Berkeley. All they are doing is funding the exploitation of women and children, which is exactly what they claim to be against.
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