Iraq legalises marriage so that 9 year olds can marry

Wyllow3

Whitewavemark2

What concerns me is the calibre of the men!

Where is their humanity?

Given the chaos and disagreements Not Spaghetti quoting the Guardian as above reported on when it was discussed, I wouldn't assume all the men think the same, as is shown in this article (MaleMP's and activists oppose)

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/22/women-children-rights-iraqi-law-allows-child-marriage

No I agree. But the men who marry these children?!

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I didn’t say ‘all families’.
I said ‘in families’. Which is true.

You said "in families there". That sounds like a fairly generic term to me.

All families, millions of them, don't value young girls?

iraqtech.io/meet-iraqs-influential-women-in-tech-version-two/

Pure evil, totally vile. I just cannot imagine it.

I didn’t say ‘all families’.
I said ‘in families’. Which is true.

Wyllow3

Oh, cross posted, Babs. There's a good photo in the article, too.

Yes was about to say snap.

Oh, cross posted, Babs. There's a good photo in the article, too.

We should be aware that even in countries we are quick to judge as barbaric and backward, there are good decent people who lay their lives on the line to change things for the better. Human beings always lean towards the light even in the darkest of despair.

Whitewavemark2

What concerns me is the calibre of the men!

Where is their humanity?

Given the chaos and disagreements Not Spaghetti quoting the Guardian as above reported on when it was discussed, I wouldn't assume all the men think the same, as is shown in this article (MaleMP's and activists oppose)

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/22/women-children-rights-iraqi-law-allows-child-marriage

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/22/women-children-rights-iraqi-law-allows-child-marriage

This sheds some light on the state of affairs in Iraq. As expected many Iraqis are not happy with this. Is wrong to expect that these laws are accepted by the masses. People do and will fight it. Iran is a good example of clerics dictating laws that brave people then protest against, especially women.

So in all families in Iraq, little girls aren't valued?

45 million people.

The clue is in the title of the thread. Natch.
Iraq.

In families there

All families?

What concerns me is the calibre of the men!

Where is their humanity?

Medieval practices. Shocking.
In families there, little girls (similar age to our L’il Miss here) are not valued. They are just another mouth to feed.
So pass them on, to another family, for breeding.

My heart bleeds for these poor terrified children.

Sons however are valued. The name …. (Common, but it escapes me at present) means ‘Prince’. Says it all.

It is beyond belief in 2025. What on earth can be done to help these children?

I have no belief in God so I really wasnt worrying he was involved! There is something about organised religion and power, and who is attracted to that power which causes me concern.

Galaxy

Well religion frequently is .
patriarchal so I do think it is partly about religion. It would be useful to talk about that. There are all sorts of dynamics of powers within religion which lead to horrendous safeguarding risks.

Religions are usually dictated by patriarchal cultures in the beginning, in essence they are patriarchal constructs rather than anything to do with a God. Indeed if there is a God, and the jury is out in my own personal case, I doubt that he/she would ever support the way most major religions have colonised parts of the world and manipulated/cowed the masses, in particular women.

Vile but these old men have always liked child brides. Nothing new really.

Well religion frequently is .
patriarchal so I do think it is partly about religion. It would be useful to talk about that. There are all sorts of dynamics of powers within religion which lead to horrendous safeguarding risks.

There is a very poor record of women's rights in many countries across the ME, in parts of Africa, and India, to name but a few. But as with Iran there are brave groups of women fighting to improve this in all these parts of the world, risking their freedom and their lives, and I imagine women's groups in Iraq will fight this.
This is not about religion is about patriarchal cultures using religion to control and abuse girls/women. The best way anyone can help these girls and women would be to donate to Amnesty International or other human rights organisations trying to fight against this and release women imprisoned for challenging such laws.

I have no words. Evil beyond expression.

They are just sick!

Very, very grim.

Thank you for the detail, Not Spaghetti - it sounds like internal rifts in a political situation that I don't understand and hope won't come to be.

Just checked - there are Iraqi refugees in the UK and I would presume they are trying to escape such traditions,

but I have just checked re migrants and the UK has recently, in accordance with deporting migrants, agreed for the return because it was regarded as a safe country. I dont know what could happen now.

Heathans and philistines, that’s what they are 😡

I think it's believable and timeless, the way men can use and rule over children and women, and force them to obey.
Did you not read about the women in Afghanistan who had to sell their little girls to old men because their families were hungry?
Did you read about the great Chinese famine when the same happened?
There are always men about who are willing to take their children "off their hands", and always laws that permit it.
This is us - the human race .
Some of us women are more fortunate than others because of the country we just happened to be born in, and its laws.
I think we should always try to fight against these abusers , even though I feel the battle may never be won.
I am so grateful to have been born in the UK in this day and age.