Iraq: women “second class citizens” under status law amendment

Iraq’s revision of its personal status law has limited women’s rights, making them “second class citizens”, according to Human Rights Watch, The New Arab via AFP reported on October 15th.

Iraq’s parliament in January revised its 1959 Personal Status Law. The amendment permits a man to make his contract of marriage driven by a Shiite religious code, without there being any requirement to tell his wife.

One woman told the rights organisation that she got a court summons, informing her that her former husband filed a lawsuit in a bid to bring to effect the Shiite personal status code and to end her role as a guardian to her son, 10 years after their divorce.

More to follow.

The New Arab via AFP