Amendments to Iraq's personal status law have been suspended by the country's Supreme Court, pausing plans to allow girls as young as 15 to marry.
The bill, early drafts of which suggested reducing the marriage age to nine, was passed at the end of January, but the Parliament did not release the quorum or vote count. Videos shared on social media of the session showed the chamber in disarray, with shouting and some MPs leaving.
Politicians raised objections to the process of passing the law, which was wrapped into a package with legislation concerning land rights and a general amnesty. By including bills catering to different sections of Iraqi society, it was able to pass.
In a statement issued to Iraq's news agency, the court said it was reviewing whether the law was constitutional and said the pause was temporary until a decision was reached. It added that the bill had been challenged by lawsuits.
Each of the three bills in the package need to be separately voted on by President Abdul Latif Rashid before coming into force. Reducing the age to less than 18 breaks treaties on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which set the minimum age at 18. Iraq is a signatory to those treaties.
A copy of the amendments seen by The National says citizens will be allowed to choose whether to be subject to the provisions of the current 1959 Personal Status Law or the provisions of the Shiite Jaafari Islamic school of jurisprudence. Sunni political parties will not submit their code of Sharia and will adhere to the current law.
The 1959 law is considered one of the most progressive family laws in the Middle East, and moves to change it sparked popular protest and action by activists and MPs. It sets the marriage age at 18 and only allows marriage at 15 under judicial approval.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Crime%20Wave
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The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
