ALBAWABA - Protests took place in multiple cities in Iraq against a proposed amendment to the Personal Status Law by the parliament.
Human rights activists fear that a proposed new amendment to the Personal Status Law will deprive women of their rights and interests, and will open the door to underage marriage.
RT reported citing local Iraqi media that the controversial amendment permits Iraqis, when concluding marriage contracts, the right to choose in organizing their family affairs between the provisions of the Shiite or Sunni sects or those stipulated in the Personal Status Law that has been in force for decades.
The current personal status law prohibits marriage under the age of 18 and specifically prevents clerics from confiscating the parents’ right to resort to the state’s civil courts. many advocates protested in fear that the new proposed law would allow child marriages.
It is worth noting that activists in Iraq fear that the new amendment will allow underage marriage, despite that Members of Parliament who support it completely deny this.
Commenting on the new proposed bill, Human Rights Watch researcher Sarah Sanbar said that giving religious institutions power over marriage and inheritance matters would "undermine the principle of equality under Iraqi law, by treating women as inferior to men."
Protesters took to the streets in Baghdad and many cities in Iraq to denounce the new proposed amendment as they carried out banners reading "No for child marriage," "We won't accept treating women like slaves," and "the age of concubines is gone."
