Hundreds protest in Baghdad for enactment of amended Personal Status Law

Shafaq News/ Hundreds of people demonstrated on Saturday in al-Tahrir (Liberation) Square in Baghdad, demanding the approval of the amended Personal Status Law.

Shafaq News correspondent stated, “About 500 people protested, calling for the enactment of the Personal Status Law, of which Parliament has completed the second reading,” noting “the presence of riot police in the square.”

On September 16, the Iraqi Parliament concluded the report and discussion of the proposal to amend this law in preparation for a vote in a future session.

Notably, the amendment of the Personal Status Law has sparked widespread debate within Iraqi society, with both opponents and supporters voicing their opinions. The government has decided to discuss all the concerns raised about it through the Supreme Council for Women’s Affairs.

Opponents argue that the amendment permits child marriage and deprives wives of their rights to alimony and custody, in addition to relying on the religious texts of each sect and denomination as a reference for rulings instead of existing laws.