A disturbing new report reveals that Iraq’s legalization of child marriage has triggered a booming bridal market in Baghdad, with young girls increasingly being sold into unions with older men. Since the adoption of the Ja’fari law in January, girls can now be married based on subjective judgments of “maturity and physical capacity.” Human rights organizations warn that this has opened the door to black-market arrangements where children are effectively auctioned off, often without their consent.

One case highlighted by investigators involves Amani, a 12-year-old girl forced into marriage with a 17-year-old she has never met, with relatives confirming the ceremony would proceed regardless of her wishes. A local cleric stated the marriage was permissible because she had reached puberty. Family members admitted that after the law changed, multiple young cousins were married off quickly for financial reasons. Critics argue this law institutionalizes exploitation, stripping girls of protection, dignity, and childhood—an alarming sign of moral collapse and systemic abuse that echoes biblical warnings about societies abandoning justice for the vulnerable.

SOURCE: Yahoo News