Part 9/12:
One of the most disturbing stories today involves Iraq’s legislative push to lower the age of consent from 18 to just 9 years old—a measure backed by powerful Shia conservative factions. If passed, this amendment would represent a drastic regression in women’s and girls’ rights, effectively legalizing child marriage and exposing young girls to abuse, marriage, and pregnancy at a shockingly young age. Women’s rights advocates condemned the move as a “catastrophe,” warning it would strip women of legal agency, increase violence, and curtail access to education.