Iraq prepares to lower age of consent to nine

Iraq’s parliament is preparing to reduce the legal age a girl can marry from 18 to nine. The country’s coalition of Shia Muslim parties could also remove Iraqi women’s right to divorce, child custody and inheritance. It’s not clear when the vote will come before parliament and similar attempts have failed previously, but the strength of the conservative majority indicates this time it could succeed. Women’s rights campaigners say it could effectively legalise child rape in Iraq. Experts have suggested the vote should be read in the broader context of a political play by Shia Islamist groups to regain legitimacy in Iraq. Of note elsewhere: the escalating oppression of women and girls’ rights in Iran, Afghanistan and Libya. Last week, Libya’s interior minister said morality police would be reintroduced to enforce “society’s traditions” by restricting women’s movement, autonomy and clothing.