Iraqi Women Concerned About Increased Child Marriages Amid Cleric Influence

In Iraq, the issue of child marriage has resurfaced, casting a dark shadow on the futures of many young girls. Shaimaa Saadoun, who was wed at just 13 years old to a man nearly three decades her senior, recalls the pain of her experience. Her impoverished family, eager for financial relief, accepted a dowry, unaware of the abusive environment it would lead to.

Saadoun remembers the wedding night vividly, where her husband presented a bloodstained piece of linen as proof of her virginity. At such a tender age, she was thrust into the roles of wife and mother, a reality that has haunted her for years. Now 44 and divorced, she reflects, “No child or teenager should be forced to live what I have lived.”

While her marriage was technically illegal—given that Iraqi law prohibits unions before the age of 18—a family connection facilitated the judge’s approval. Currently, the law allows for girls to be married as young as 15 with parental consent and medical proof of puberty. However, proposed changes in Iraq’s parliament could threaten this safeguard.

The Iraqi parliament is deliberating controversial amendments aimed at enhancing the authority of religious leaders over family law, a shift educators worry could lead to the sanctioning of marriages involving girls as young as 9. The influence and backing of powerful Shiite Muslim factions have fueled this push, as they frame it as a response to Western cultural impositions.

This legislative initiative comes in the wake of other repressive measures, including an anti-LGBTQ+ law passed early in the year. If approved, the amendments would grant religious courts jurisdiction over family law, allowing interpretations of Shariah, which may vary greatly from civil law. Some clerics assert that Shariah permits marriages for girls who have reached the age of nine.

The reaction from Iraqi women has been overwhelmingly negative, with protests erupting outside the parliament building. Many women, including activist Heba al-Dabbouni, have expressed horror at the prospect of regressing societal standards, stating, “We will keep rejecting it until the last breath.”

Proponents of the proposed changes argue that they provide a choice between civil and religious law and defend the family unit against Western secularism. However, critics, including human rights advocates, contend that the changes prioritize the desires of husbands over the rights of women and girls.

Public discourse on this matter has become contentious, even among clerics. On various media platforms, some religious leaders oppose lowering the marriage age, citing the detrimental effects on young girls’ lives. In a recent broadcast, a Sunni cleric asserted that existing laws were adequate and necessary to protect girls.

Despite the support for these amendments among Shiite lawmakers, the debates remain fraught with division. Efforts to hold a vote on the proposed changes recently failed due to a lack of quorum, indicating significant contention even within the ruling coalition.

Since its establishment in 1959, Iraq’s personal status law has been seen as a protective framework for women and children’s rights. However, the enforcement of this law remains inconsistent, with individual judges occasionally circumventing regulations by authorizing earlier marriages.

Raed al-Maliki, a parliament member advocating for the revisions, promises that protections for young girls will still be in place, although he has not provided specific details on the potential minimum age for marriage under the new provisions.

Al-Maliki and his supporters argue that the law needs to reflect the “cultural reality” of Iraq and claim that earlier legislation was unduly shaped by communist influences and secular ideologies from the past. He associates criticism of Western practices, especially regarding family and children, with a nationalistic defense of Iraqi traditions.

The ongoing debate has been further complicated by rising tensions and feelings surrounding the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, with many Iraqis viewing Western discourse on human rights as hypocritical. Nonetheless, the heart of this debate lies within the Iraqi women who are voicing their concerns and urging for change.

Human Rights Watch’s Iraq researcher, Sarah Sanbar, highlights the vital role Iraqi women play in opposing these proposed changes, asserting that they are not merely influenced by external organizations but are driven by their own needs and desires for societal reform.

This proposed set of amendments is not a new phenomenon, as similar legislative drafts have emerged in the past. However, increased solidarity and coordination among Shiite political factions is notable this time, raising fears that such reforms could solidify sectarianism in Iraq and undermine the authority of civil courts.

Saadoun fears that these potential changes in the law would destroy the futures of countless young girls, warning that they compromise the very fabric of society. Her resolve underscores a growing urgency among activists to halt these amendments and protect the rights of women and children in Iraq.

Source: Associated Press