UK urges Iraq to reject law that would allow child marriage
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – British diplomats met with Iraqi lawmakers and civil society members to raise its concerns about a draft law now before the Iraqi parliament that could see the legal marriage age drop to nine years old.
Parliament is due to discuss draft amendments to the Personal Status Law that aim to accommodate religious customs, specifically introducing measures based on the Jaafari school of Shiite religious jurisprudence.
“Allowing different groups to legislate according to their own jurisprudence would effectively reduce the marriage age for some girls in Iraq to nine years old,” a spokesperson of the British Embassy told the gathered parliamentarians, NGO workers, and media at a roundtable discussion hosted by the Iraqi Bar Association this week.
“This would be a backward step for the rights of women and girls,” the UK representative said, explaining the law would damage national prosperity, “because women’s social, educational and economic development is a proven factor in driving forward national development.”
The Britons also warned that the law could “risk exacerbating sectarian divisions” and called on the parliament to reject the new provisions.
The House of Representatives voted in principle on November 1 to approve the amendments.
If passed, the law would only apply to Iraq’s Shiite population.
The United Nations has also criticized the draft law after public protests.
Parliament is due to discuss draft amendments to the Personal Status Law that aim to accommodate religious customs, specifically introducing measures based on the Jaafari school of Shiite religious jurisprudence.
“Allowing different groups to legislate according to their own jurisprudence would effectively reduce the marriage age for some girls in Iraq to nine years old,” a spokesperson of the British Embassy told the gathered parliamentarians, NGO workers, and media at a roundtable discussion hosted by the Iraqi Bar Association this week.
“This would be a backward step for the rights of women and girls,” the UK representative said, explaining the law would damage national prosperity, “because women’s social, educational and economic development is a proven factor in driving forward national development.”
The Britons also warned that the law could “risk exacerbating sectarian divisions” and called on the parliament to reject the new provisions.
The House of Representatives voted in principle on November 1 to approve the amendments.
If passed, the law would only apply to Iraq’s Shiite population.
The United Nations has also criticized the draft law after public protests.