In a contentious session, Iraq’s parliament has passed several divisive laws, including controversial amendments to the personal status law that critics argue will effectively legalize child marriage. According to AP News, the amendments grant Islamic courts increased authority over essential family matters, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

Opponents express deep concern that these changes undermine the 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and established critical protections for women. Currently, Iraqi law prohibits marriage before the age of 18; however, the new amendments reportedly allow clerics to interpret Islamic law in ways that might permit marriages of girls as young as nine, particularly under the Jaafari school of Islamic law, commonly observed by Shiite authorities in the country. Advocates for the amendments, primarily conservative Shiite lawmakers, defend these changes as a necessary alignment of national law with Islamic principles while resisting perceived Western cultural influences, as highlighted by The Guardian.

Notably, human rights activists have voiced alarms regarding the potential repercussions of the legislation. Intisar al-Mayali, an active member of the Iraqi Women’s League, remarked that the amendments would “leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls” by legitimizing early marriages and jeopardizing protective legal mechanisms for divorce, custody, and inheritance.

The parliamentary session was marred by chaos, with accusations of procedural violations surfacing amidst a tense atmosphere. An unnamed parliamentary official reported that half of the lawmakers did not participate in the vote, effectively violating legal quorum requirements. As protests unfolded, some legislators even climbed onto the parliamentary podium, expelling frustration over the voting process, which merged each controversial law into a single vote. As stated by CNN, this merging may set the stage for legal challenges in the Federal Court.

In addition to the personal status amendments, parliament also passed a general amnesty law perceived to favor Sunni detainees and potentially exonerate individuals involved in corruption, alongside a land restitution law addressing Kurdish territorial claims. Following the session, parliamentary Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani characterized the laws' passage as a significant step towards enhancing justice and organizing the daily lives of citizens.

This unprecedented move continues to fuel public outcry and worries over women's rights in Iraq, prompting calls for further action.