On Thursday 10 October, the European Parliament called on the Iraqi Parliament to immediately reject in their entirety the proposed amendments to the Personal Status Law, which would undermine women’s rights.
“The amendments would violate Iraq’s international obligations regarding women’s fundamental rights, and result in a significant rollback, an increasingly negative international reputation and the withholding of some foreign assistance”, the MEPs warned in the joint resolution they adopted.
They point out that the Penal Code does not legally protect women and children who are victims of domestic violence in the country and deplore the fact that the proposed amendments to the law, if adopted, would lead to an even more radical application of Sharia law.
MEPs urge Iraq to adopt a national action plan to eliminate child marriages, criminalise marital rape, combat domestic violence and strengthen the rights of women and girls, in line with the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
To see the joint resolution, go to https://aeur.eu/f/dtv (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)