The law, passed on Tuesday, grants religious authorities control over family matters such as marriage, divorce, and child custody, overturning a ban on child marriage under 18 that was enacted in the 1950s.

“We have reached the end of women’s rights and end of children’s rights in Iraq,” said Mohammed Juma, a lawyer. Activists voiced their fears that the law could be applied retroactively and affect alimony and custody decisions.

Child marriage has long been an issue in Iraq, with a 2023 UN survey revealing that 28 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18. While some families see marriage as a way for girls to escape poverty, many of them fail, leaving young women facing social stigma and missed educational opportunities.

The new legislation sets the minimum marriage age for girls under religious sect rules. For Shia Muslims, it is nine years old, while for Sunnis, it is 15.

Alia Nassif, a member of the parliamentary legal committee, argued that the vote lacked the required number of MPs to pass the law and said she and others would challenge it in federal court.