In 2025, Iraq rewrote the rules for girls. A new religious code ties marriage to “puberty”, gives fathers custody of children at seven, and makes a woman’s rights depend on her sect. Shams looks at the politicians, clerics and Iran-aligned militias behind it, and why she refuses to be sent back to them.
Some fears don’t stay behind when you leave a country. They pack themselves into your suitcase. Mine has one name: Iraq. In a world where fathers, uncles and tribes decide who a girl marries and how far she’s allowed to go, Shams tells the story of the life she is fighting not to return to.
Iraq continued to face heightened concern over security and human rights conditions, with recent reporting highlighting ongoing risks faced by civilians, particularly women, amid broader instability linked to armed groups and weak enforcement of protections.
Concerns over women’s rights and gender-based violence in Iraq remained high, as rights groups and international observers continued to highlight ongoing risks faced by women in both public and private life.
15-year-old Kawthar Bashar Al-Husayjawi was murdered in the Nahrawan area east of Baghdad after refusing to marry her cousin.
Human rights monitors and governance-focused reports highlighted continuing concerns regarding the protection of women and minors in Iraq,
In 2025, Iraq rewrote the rules for girls. A new religious code ties marriage to “puberty”, gives fathers custody of children at seven, and makes a woman’s rights depend on her sect. Shams looks at the politicians, clerics and Iran-aligned militias behind it, and why she refuses to be sent back to them.
Some fears don’t stay behind when you leave a country. They pack themselves into your suitcase. Mine has one name: Iraq. In a world where fathers, uncles and tribes decide who a girl marries and how far she’s allowed to go, Shams tells the story of the life she is fighting not to return to.
Iraq continued to face heightened concern over security and human rights conditions, with recent reporting highlighting ongoing risks faced by civilians, particularly women, amid broader instability linked to armed groups and weak enforcement of protections.
Concerns over women’s rights and gender-based violence in Iraq remained high, as rights groups and international observers continued to highlight ongoing risks faced by women in both public and private life.
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