Parliamentary committee proposes mandatory crash course in marriage for newlyweds

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Parliamentary Committee on Women and Children has proposed mandatory educational courses for newlyweds aimed at promoting awareness of the ‘rights and responsibilities of both men and women’ while addressing the country’s growing domestic violence crisis.

Committee Chair Dunia Al-Shammari told the official newspaper Al-Sabah that “the proposal was made during a recent committee meeting with the Supreme Council for Women, where the need to establish a Family Institution was emphasized. This institution would aim to educate families about their rights and duties, addressing the current lack of awareness among newly married couples.”

Al-Shammari highlighted that “many of today’s newlyweds lack the necessary knowledge to manage their married life properly.”

The proposed courses, which would be mandatory for couples before marriage, are expected to cover topics such as domestic violence. “Participants would need to obtain a certificate qualifying them to complete the marriage process before a judge,” Al-Shammari explained. The course is expected to last for one month and will not be required for those who have been previously married.

Domestic violence cases in Iraq have reached alarming levels, with nearly 14,000 incidents reported in the first five months of 2024 alone, according to a June 9 report from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. This surge in cases continues largely due to the absence of laws effectively curbing such violence and protecting victims, who are predominantly women and children. In 2022, Iraqi courts rejected an appeal against Article 41 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which permits the “disciplining of a wife by her husband” under the guise of exercising a ‘legal or customary right’, effectively legitimizing certain forms of domestic violence.

Al-Shammari added that the committee is currently developing detailed plans to implement the courses. “The goal of this initiative is to preserve the family institution, which is one of the most important pillars of society,” she emphasized.

The committee hopes the courses will foster better communication and cooperation between spouses, encouraging open discussion. If enacted into law, participation in these courses would be mandatory for all couples preparing to marry.

Meanwhile, Iraq has seen a sharp rise in divorces. According to the Supreme Judicial Council, 6,344 divorces were registered in July, a 32.7% increase from the 4,779 divorces recorded in June, excluding the Kurdistan Region governorates. Marriages also rose, with 26,062 registered in July, an 11.7% increase from June’s 23,324 marriages.

Simultaneously, Shia factions in the Iraqi parliament are pushing for amendments to the 1959 Personal Status Law, triggering widespread public outcry. The proposed changes would legalize marriages outside the court, base marital rules on the husband’s sect, deny women inheritance rights to property and land, and legalize child marriage for girls as young as nine under the Shia Jaafari sect. Although the first reading of the amendments was postponed during the July 24 parliament session, Shia parliamentarians are pushing for further discussions.

Under the proposed amendments, in marital disputes, the husband’s sect would take precedence if the marriage was conducted according to his sect. Additionally, a man would not need his first wife’s consent to marry a second wife. Those who previously married without declaring a specific sect could petition the court to designate their preferred sect afterward, allowing corresponding laws to apply. The current Iraqi Personal Status Law No. 188 of 1959 grants custody to the mother until the child reaches 15.

Fatima Mazloum, a legal expert supporting the amendments, stated, “We aim to adjust the custody rights that were extended from seven to 15 years due to wartime conditions. Currently, fathers are denied custody even if qualified, and mothers face no penalties for preventing visitation. The new amendment seeks to correct this injustice against men.”