Rumors circulated that a man in his 90s who had married a girl 70 years his junior had died recently in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. This shocking news is only one part of the “uneven marriages” that have become endemic among Iraqis where social traditions and habits are reinforced by tribal authorities and applicable laws. Meanwhile, civil society and human rights organizations stand idly by, failing to intervene to stem the prevalence of such marriages, especially the forced marriage of underage girls.
Alia Kadi, a social researcher, told Al-Monitor, “These marriages are 'spawned' by rural areas and poor neighborhoods, where customs and traditions are rife. The people in these areas are conservative and do not accept new concepts. They do not easily replace their cultural and social legacies, and they warn against openness to contemporary civilization.”
