Iraq passes harsh anti-LGBTQ+ law imposing up to 15 years in prison, drawing backlash
PBS NewsHourApr 18
Iraq to Lower Age of Consent to 9
Above: A girl holds a placard as activists demonstrate against female child marriages in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, Iraq, on July 28, 2024, amid parliamentary discussion over a proposed amendment to the Iraqi Personal Status Law. Image copyright: Ahmad Al-Rubaye/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
The Iraqi parliament is set to lower the legal marriage age from 18 to nine by amending a bill from 1959 called Law 188, which had established the current age of consent alongside other protections for women and girls.
The amendment, which is being pushed by conservative Shiite parties, will also strip women's right to divorce their husbands, have custody of their children, and collect inheritance.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This amendment flagrantly undermines women’s and girls’ rights by not only pushing nine-year-old children into marriages, but also by removing protections in divorce and weakening inheritance rights. If passed, Iraq will have breached its obligations under international human rights treaties, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The government must reconsider this alarming idea.
Establishment-critical narrative
What makes this so tragic is that Iraq, while not perfect, was not like this before the 2003 US invasion: neighborhoods were vibrant, families were together, and both boys and girls went to school. Unfortunately, in its arrogant pursuit of killing Saddam Hussein, the US government ripped Iraq apart, leaving it open for radical factions to take over the government.