The Prevalence and Persistence of Cousin Marriage in Pakistan

On February 4th the Population Council had an article on cousin marriage in Pakistan:

Pakistan’s rate of consanguinity (the proportion of couples who are blood relatives) is unparalleled globally, with nearly two-thirds of marriages involving cousins. While cousin marriage rates have declined alongside economic development in many parts of the world, Pakistan’s rates have stayed roughly the same for several decades. Using data from the Punjab Consanguinity Survey, our new study provides a nuanced understanding of this phenomenon, contextualizing it within the frameworks of kinship, economic development, cultural norms, and demography.

Our findings identify three key factors that sustain high rates of cousin marriage in Pakistan: intensive kinship systems, slower economic development, and higher fertility rates. These factors combine to create a unique socio-economic environment in which the advantages of marrying within the family outweigh its drawbacks.

Cousin marriages should not be banned

The Progress Educational Trust (PET) is an independent charity that focuses on reproductive and genomic science. On January 27th they published an article about cousin marriage:

The British Society for Genetic Medicine (BSGM) has several concerns about the proposed bill, including that Holden misunderstands the genetic risks associated with first-cousin marriage.

We are an independent body that supports the promotion, encouragement and advancement of genetic and genomic science in clinical and research practice for the public benefit. We have always taken an active role in considering social, ethical and legal issues. As such, we have written a Parliamentary Briefing in response to the proposed bill.

The response from the BSGM argues that:

The bill is based on misunderstandings about the genetic risks associated with first-cousin marriages.

The bill will have a negative impact, due to stigmatisation, on healthcare for women and children in communities where first-cousin marriage is common.

The bill will create further distrust within those communities, and build barriers to them accessing appropriate healthcare and other services.

The bill fails to recognise the benefits of first-cousin marriages, including the strengthening of family bonds and care arrangements within the extended family.

The bill seems to conflate first-cousin marriages with the issues of forced marriages and so-called honour killings.

The bill appears to be in contravention of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), Article 12 (right to marry) and Article 14 (protection from discrimination) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Unrelated parents have a 2-3 percent chance of having a baby with a genetic condition or congenital anomaly, whereas parents who are first cousins have a 4-6 percent chance. Most of this increased risk is due to recessively inherited genetic conditions. This means that most babies (94-96 percent) born to parents who are first cousins do not have a genetic condition or congenital anomaly.

Couple defend first-cousin marriages amid ban call

On January 26th the BBC had an article about cousin marriage:

Family life is busy for Israr Hussain and his wife, Tasleem Akhtar, who have four daughters between the ages of five and 15.

They chose to have their wedding back home in Pakistan in 2007 and live in Birmingham.

The 47-year-olds are not only husband and wife, but also first cousins, as both of their fathers are brothers.

Marrying a first cousin is a feature of many communities across the world. It is about protecting wealth, land and property and helps keep the family together.

Delaware legislature introduces bill to recognize lawful first cousin marriages

Delaware Public Media has an article about cousin marriage:

Delaware is presently among 25 states that ban first cousin marriages, but a new bill could alter that law to some extent.

State Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton’s (D-Newark) legislation would only recognize legal first cousin marriages made outside the First State — it would not legalize such marriages to occur within Delaware.

"If you have a cousin that lives in Delaware that you were looking to marry, you can't do that if this bill passes. But, if you got married in France or you got married in New York to your first cousin ,and then you live here and you're trying to bring them here, your marriage would be recognized just like any other marriage is recognized," she explained.

The inspiration for the bill came from a constituent who approached her with a challenging circumstance.

In an attempt to reunite his family, her constituent — who is a U.S. citizen — applied to bring his wife into Delaware from out of the country, but the federal government rejected the proposal, noting Delaware does not recognize marriages between first cousins and recommended he move to a different state and reapply.

It is unfortunate that Delaware still bans cousin marriages, but it is a step in the right direction to recognize marriages performed in other states or countries. I wish Utah would take this first step as well. The states are required to accept gay marriage and cannot punish anyone for it, but they are still allowed to punish lawfully married cousins. What is the rationale for this two-tiered system? I believe that the legal, historical, religious, and scientific basis for cousin marriage is much stronger than for gay marriage. Cousin marriage does not require a separate category of marriage that is falsely labeled as equality.