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Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Thursday, 12 September 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 September 2024. It was answered by Lord Collins of Highbury (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 September 2024 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Iraq: Children

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the proposed amendment to Iraq’s Personal Status Law 188, which could lower the legal age for marriage to nine, and the extent to which it aligns with international treaties on the rights of children to which Iraq is a signatory.

Answer

The UK is analysing the proposed amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law and its implications for women and children's rights. As we privately engage with a range of Iraqi interlocutors to discuss this, we are emphasising the importance of any amendments' compatibility with Iraq's international obligations.

We would condemn any legislative change that would violate international norms, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL1017
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children Iraq Forced marriage
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk