OPINION
In the chambers of the Iraqi parliament, a heated battle is taking place over a law that if passed, will shatter the lives of tens of thousands of Iraqi girls.
The proposed law seeks to lower the legal age of consent from 18 to just nine years old, effectively sanctioning child rape and institutionalizing a life of exploitation and abuse.
Backed by Shia fundamentalist factions (Iranian-controlled), this law would strip away hard-won rights and plunge Iraq’s women and girls back into a grim reality reminiscent of the darkest eras of repression.
This proposed rollback is not just a domestic crisis; it's a global clarion call, exposing both a dangerous regression in human rights and a pressing need to confront the human rights abuses of fundamentalist Islam that prioritize control over compassion.
In the 1950s Iraq, laws were passed that prohibited marriage under the age of 18, aiming to protect children from exploitation.
These protections notwithstanding, child marriage is a present harsh reality.
In fact, a recent UNICEF report shows that 28% of Iraqi girls marry before the age of 18.
The current pressure to reduce the age of consent is rooted in the example of Muhammad, as seen in the Hadith (one of Islam’s holy books) when he married his favorite wife, Aisha, when she was only nine years old.
The practice of child marriage is symptomatic of a deeper set of problems with gender inequality, religious conservatism, and sectarian politics in Iraq, which have been further exacerbated by decades of conflict and instability.
If this law passes, it will legitimize child marriage and child molestation.
Child brides face higher risks of maternal mortality, lifelong trauma, and severely limited education and economic opportunities.
The law will also deprive women of divorce rights, child custody and inheritance, thus making them more dependent on male guardians and clerics.
This fundamentalist practice and many others underscore the need for Islam to undergo a reformation, similar to what happened to Christianity in the 1500s.
During the Protestant Reformation (PR), the existing church hierarchy was obliged to desist from and reform certain traditions and practices that were at variance with Scripture or incompatible with evolving societal mores.
The PR forced the church to be open to criticism, thus starting a period of transformation that removed the Church from burning at the stake those printing Bibles or who had a different theological bent.
With time, the church hierarchy adapted by toning down or abandoning those practices that no longer matched the more modern conceptions of moral and ethical human rights and cultural standards.
This struggle ultimately resolved itself into a greater diversity of faith expression and a far greater alignment with human rights and modern values.
Likewise, reform for Islam should include revisiting those interpretations of Sharia that contradict human dignity, safety, and rights of all individuals, especially women and children.
It would mean a reform that counters extremist ideologies, amplifies the voices of the marginalized, and fosters an interpretation that enjoys compassion, justice, and equality. Simply put, Islam cannot be exempted from consideration of human rights.
The press is the key to this effort and needs to be more proactive and courageous in highlighting outrageous behavior by fundamentalists.
Female Iraqi members of parliament (MP’s) and women’s rights activists have been incredibly brave in opposing the proposed law, to the point of putting their own lives at risk.
Leaders like Raya Faiq and Nadia Mahmood have talked about the greater threat from these kinds of retrogressive laws to Iraq's women's rights movement.
Mass protests have erupted across Baghdad and other cities, with citizens rallying against the legislation despite facing harsh repression. Such courageous efforts certainly need support and solidarity across the world.
The global community, including the U.S. has to increase diplomatic pressure on Iraq to stop this medieval law and support the female MPs trying to defeat the law.
The U.S. invasion of Iraq, intended to introduce democracy, has a lingering commitment towards ensuring that human rights are protected.
We can't afford to let fundamentalist factions dictate regressive policies that betray the nation's future.
This child bride law points to the wider issue of extremist influence within Iraq, further feeding the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians.
The push to lower the legal marriage age reflects a desire to reinforce a rigid social order that stifles diversity and progress.
This climate of intolerance affects not only women but all who stand for human rights, justice and equality.
It’s time for religious leaders, individuals, and various governments internationally to make their voices heard. The stakes are too high to stay silent.
Contacting representatives, urging diplomatic pressure, and supporting Iraqi women’s rights groups are needed in advocacy.
The battle for girls’ and women’s rights in Iraq is far from over.
Standing by those who resist injustice, we help make sure every child has a right to a future without fear or oppression.
The child bride law is not just a legislative event, but rather a moral crisis that puts humanity's conscience into question.
If approved, it will legalize the exploitation of young girls and be a dark step back in the struggle for human rights.
The global community must rally behind Iraq's courageous women and children with unwavering resolve and insist upon their basic rights and dignity. History will not judge us by our words, or by our intentions, but by our courage to act, to amplify the cries of the vulnerable, and to stand against the forces that seek to silence and oppress.
The time to rise is now, anything less is complicity.
Jeff King is president of International Christian Concern (www.persecution.com) and is a global watch-dog for the persecution of Christians and the Church around the world.