The European Parliament and Acquittal Worldwide approached the Iraqi Parliament to totally and promptly reject proposed changes to the Individual Status Regulation.
European Parliament Legislators in Europe issued a formal statement warning of the potential repercussions of the most recent proposal, which they claim breaches Iraq’s international obligations regarding fundamental women’s rights.
The members praised Iraqi women, including female parliamentarians, NGOs, activists, and members of civil society for speaking out against the proposal and fighting to keep one of the most progressive laws in the region.
They mentioned that women and children who are victims of domestic violence in Iraq are not currently covered by the penal code. If approved, the Personal Status Law would be implemented “more radically” as a result of the proposed amendments.
In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the European Parliament urged Iraq to implement a national plan to end child marriage, criminalize marital rape, combat domestic violence, and enhance the rights of women and girls in a resolution that was approved on Thursday.
The European Parliament also asked the EU delegation in Iraq to “condition development grants on judicial training related to sexual violence and the establishment of shelters for women” and asked EU member states to support women’s and children’s rights advocates more.
Amnesty International Amnesty International has urged Iraqi lawmakers to reject proposed amendments to the Personal Status Law, citing the organization’s warning that the proposed changes would significantly undermine women’s and girls’ rights by enforcing discrimination and lowering the legal marriage age. The Iraqi parliament is about to vote on these amendments.
“These amendments would abolish the current legal marriage age of 18 for both girls and boys, paving the way for child marriages,” stated Razaw Salihy, an Iraq researcher for Amnesty International. Additionally, they deprive girls and women of inheritance and divorce protections.
Amnesty International also objected to the emphasis placed on these amendments, stating that “urgent legal reforms are needed to protect women and girls in Iraq,” particularly in the areas of domestic violence and so-called “honour” killings. The current Penal Code does not make marital rape a crime, but it does allow “honour” as a reason to kill women and girls and allows husbands to use corporal punishment.
Amnesty International also emphasized that these amendments violate international agreements that Iraq has ratified, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Salihy emphasized that Iraqi institutions are legally and morally obligated to protect women’s and girls’ dignity and safety.
Background: On August 4, 2024, the bill was read aloud for the first time. In 2014 and 2017, similar amendments were proposed, but both failed due to widespread public opposition. Iraq’s parliament attempted a second reading of the draft bill on September 3, 2024, but an opposition boycott campaign successfully broke the quorum.
Women MPs and other opponents expressed concerns that neither a revised draft nor any of their recommendations had been incorporated into the second reading on September 16 despite these efforts. The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court decided on September 17 that the amendments were compatible with Iraq’s constitution.