Women protest in Baghdad over Jaafari Personal Status Law, one year after amendments

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Dozens of women gathered in central Baghdad on Saturday to mark one year since Iraq amended its Personal Status Law to allow citizens to choose the jurisprudence of their sect in family matters, a change enacted under amendments to the Personal Status Code passed by parliament in February 2025. Protesters called for revisions to provisions tied to child custody and Decree No. 93, arguing that applying the changes retroactively to earlier marriage contracts has undermined family stability. Demonstrators urged authorities to prioritize the best interests of the child, a recurring demand since the legislation took effect. The original Personal Status Law, Law No. 188 of 1959, was adopted under then-Prime Minister Abdul Karim Kassem as a unified framework for all Iraqis regardless of sect. A parliamentary vote on January 21, 2025, altered that framework by giving citizens the option to apply their own sect's jurisprudence in personal status cases, triggering a year of legal and social debate. Women's rights activist Lina Ali said the law's implementation has not reduced divorce rates and has contributed to a rise in domestic violence. Sheikh Mohammed Khalil al-Sinjari, the Shia religious authority's representative in Baghdad, said Islamic jurisprudence places the child's welfare at its center and allows custody to be granted to either parent depending on the circumstances.