Lowering of the age for girls' consent is shameful!
In Iraq, the Shiite-influenced regime wants to scrap a 65-year-old law that protects girls. The age of legal consent could be lowered from 18 to much, much younger.
Iraq has - for the time being at least - legislation protecting little girls and young teenagers from abuse and underage marriage, with the legal age of consent set at 18. This has not prevented this type of union, often forced or arranged, but its illegal nature has limited its scope. This could change. Admittedly, the law currently in force in Iraq for the age of consent for relationships between young men and women is stricter than in most Western countries, where it is generally set between 14 and 16. But the proposed new age is simply outrageous! It could endanger the physical integrity of any young girl.
Young girls
Indeed, the coalition of Shiite Muslim parties in the al-Soudani government wants to amend Law 188 of 1959. The plan currently under discussion in Baghdad is to lower the age to 9! This would be a terrible step backwards for a progressive law. Such a proposal had already been discussed in 2014 and 2017, without coming to fruition. But this time, the project could come to fruition under pressure from religious groups. The deputies, the vast majority of whom are men, seem ready to cross the Rubicon. What's more, other restrictions are planned: a ban on divorce for women, loss of custody of children and deprivation of inheritance!
(MH with Olivier Duquesne - Source : La Dernière Heure & Le Figaro - Picture : © picture alliance/dpa | Ameer Al Mohmmedaw)