Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows ================================================================ ![Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/f7667c2b499ae2f0b145750aaf0828ca.jpeg)A female Iraqi MP has [proposed](https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/197700/alsumaria-news/ar)financial incentives for polygamy in the hopes of providing husbands for the country's many war widows. At a press conference on Sunday, Jamila al-Ebeidi [urged women to](https://www.iraqinews.com/features/iraqi-woman-mp-wants-legislation-encouraging-polygamy-financial-bonus/) "renounce the one-woman mentality at the expense of our sisters," and recommended tax allowances to encourage men to marry multiple woman. She now plans to collect signatures in support of the planned bill. The war with Iran in the 1980s widowed tens of thousands of women. Since then more women have been left widowed following the First Gulf War, the failed Shiite uprising that followed, the repressions against Kurds and violence following the 2003 invasion. Efforts to support these women have been [woefully insufficient](https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7930357.stm). Though divorce is less common than it was in previous decades, divorce rates have [risen sharply](https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21707172-rise-divorces-blamed-islamism-poverty-and-turkish-soap-operas-breaking) in the last year amidst poverty and religious tensions, and amongst the over seventies there are only [77.55 men for 100 women](https://77.55%20males%20per%20100%20females). Iraqi politicians were [considering](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12266986)measures to incentivise polygamy back in 2011. Men can legally wed up to four women in Iraq, and in recent years men have increasingly done so. The proposals have been met with criticism by Iraqi women's rights groups and the parliamentary women and childhood affairs committee. Rezan Delir, a Kurdish representative on the committee called the proposal "[an insult to women's dignity](https://www.iraqinews.com/features/iraqi-woman-mp-wants-legislation-encouraging-polygamy-financial-bonus/)". "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Family Law news -------------------- [Was your marriage a mistake? A look into void marriages](https://vardags.com/family-law/marriage-mistake-look-void-marriages "Was your marriage a mistake? A look into void marriages") [Portioning out pensions in Goyal v Goyal (No 3)](https://vardags.com/family-law/portioning-pensions-goyal-v-goyal-no-3 "Portioning out pensions in Goyal v Goyal (No 3)") [Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows](https://vardags.com/family-law/polygamy-iraqi-war-widows "Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows") [Forced Marriage Unit 2016 statistics released](https://vardags.com/family-law/forced-marriage-unit-2016-statistics-released "Forced Marriage Unit 2016 statistics released") [Judge grants polyamorous triad shared custody rights](https://vardags.com/family-law/new-york-polyamory-tri-custody "Judge grants polyamorous triad shared custody rights") Articles by Thea Dunne ---------------------- [Senior judge speaks out in defence of divorce payouts](https://vardags.com/family-law/senior-judge-speaks-defence-divorce-payouts "Senior judge speaks out in defence of divorce payouts") [John Oxley tackles the issues of criminal proceedings in the family courts in Family Law journal](https://vardags.com/posts/john-oxley-family-law "John Oxley tackles the issues of criminal proceedings in the family courts in Family Law journal") [Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows](https://vardags.com/family-law/polygamy-iraqi-war-widows "Iraqi MP proposes state-incentivised polygamy to help war widows") [Nullity, and how to void a marriage to a fraudster](https://vardags.com/family-law/marriage-fraud-nullity "Nullity, and how to void a marriage to a fraudster") [Imminent shake-up to death duties](https://vardags.com/family-law/death-duties "Imminent shake-up to death duties")