"

Accountability Advocates Organization call on all concerned authorities and human rights activists to reject strongly the suggested changes to Iraq's Personal Status Law No.188 of 1959.

These amendments, if passed, will lead to undermining the gains of Iraqi women and perpetuating discrimination based on sect and denomination.

These proposed amendments, which allow the use of sectarian laws in marriage, divorce, inheritance and other issues, represent a major setback to the rights of Iraqi women, who under the old law gained legal protection that guarantees them a minimum level of justice and equality

The amendments' second paragraph refers to the adoption of the “Code of Sharia Provisions in Personal Status Matters,” which means marriage age will decrease to nine years old in accordance with the Al-Ja'afari doctrine. 

The boy will be in custody of mother for two years and the girl for seven years before custody is transferred to the father.

It also covers the topic of

"alimony for sexual enjoyment" , meaning a wife who departs from the shared residence without husband's permission or doesn't participate her husband sexual activity due to a medical condition or fatigue

might not receive alimony because it is "conditional on enjoyment". 

Iraqi lawmakers must drop these amendments, which would violate women and girls' rights, further entrench discrimination and could allow for girls as young as nine to be married. 

The amendments violate the international treaties that

Iraq has ratified, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ensuring the safty, dignity and rights of women and girls is

not only a state obligation under international human rights law but also a moral duty that all Iraqi institutions should adhere to. 

We emphasise the importance of upholding the current Personal Status Law which is a combination of characters in Islamic jurisprudenceh and civil laws in a manner that guarantee the rights of all citizens without discrimination.

Passing these amendments will create a rift in society and widen the divide among its people.

Hence, we urge Iraq's parliament to retract these amendments and we call on all supporters of freedom and human rights to speak out against these attempts that endanger the future of women in Iraq.