Iraq Passes Controversial Laws Expanding Islamic Court Authority, Raising Concerns over Child Marriage

Iraq’s parliament has passed three controversial laws, including amendments to the country’s Personal Status Law, which critics argue could pave the way for child marriage and undermine women’s rights. The amendments, approved Tuesday, give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, allowing clerics to rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law.

One of the most contentious aspects of the changes is the potential legalization of child marriage. Under current Iraqi law, the minimum age for marriage is set at 18. However, the new amendments would allow religious courts to interpret Islamic law in ways that could permit marriage at younger ages, with some interpretations allowing marriage as early as 9 years old under the Jaafari School of Islamic law, which is followed by many Shiite authorities in Iraq.

Activists have voiced strong opposition to the changes, arguing that they undermine Iraq’s 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and provided safeguards for women. Proponents, mostly conservative Shiite lawmakers, defend the amendments as a way to align Iraq’s legal framework with Islamic principles and reduce the influence of Western culture. The changes have sparked widespread debate over women’s rights and the role of religious law in governing personal matters.