First-cousin marriage should “not be stigmatized,” according to independent member of parliament (MP) Iqbal Mohamed, who has fought proposals to outlaw it in the UK, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
Because cousin marriage can result in genetic illnesses such as thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, and visual and auditory impairment, experts caution against the irreversible effects of this practice.
Despite having its roots in cultural and societal conventions, the practice puts children at serious risk for health problems, mostly genetic ones, because of the parents’ genetic resemblance.
Richard Holden, a former Conservative minister, advocated for the UK to outlaw first-cousin marriage.
He emphasized that first cousins’ children were more likely to have birth problems and that the practice ought to be outlawed to safeguard the public’s health when he presented the suggestions to the parliament.
The existing laws in the UK forbid marriages to parents, siblings, or children, but not to first cousins.
According to the MP, some diaspora communities, such as Irish tourists and British Pakistanis, had “extremely high rates” of 20–40%, even if the practice was not common in Western nations overall.
The child of first cousins has around twice the chance of acquiring a major condition, according to the data he quoted.
Additionally, he claimed that the practice endangered women’s liberties.
He said that although women and girls with a clan mindset are aware of the scientific concerns associated with first-cousin marriage, they nonetheless take social and cultural factors into account.
“Tough honor codes, where expressing individuality can lead to social exclusion, violence, and, in certain situations, death, control thinking,” he continued.
“It’s about more than one marriage,” he added, adding that first-cousin marriage was “not really conducive to modern British society.” It concerns the principles and tenets of our democracy and society.
Mohamed objected to the plan. Although he acknowledged that forced marriage must be avoided and that there are health problems, he claimed that a ban would be ineffectual and that education campaigns to increase public awareness of the dangers would be a better way to address these concerns.
“But the state shouldn’t have the authority to forbid adults from getting married to one another, in part because I don’t believe it would be enforceable or effective,” he stated.
“The issue should be addressed as a cultural and health awareness issue, where women are being coerced into marriage against their will,” the independent MP added.
Facilitating improved genetic test screening for potential married partners would be a far more constructive strategy than stigmatizing those who are in cousin marriages or likely to be. and, more broadly, to conduct health education initiatives aimed at the communities where the practice is most prevalent,” he continued.
According to Sky News, Mohamed said actions might include implementing screening initiatives akin to those in Persian Gulf Arab nations.
According to him, cousin marriage is “extremely common” in the Middle East and South Asia and is “preferred or accepted” by between 35 and 50 percent of all sub-Saharan African populations.
According to him, the reason it is so well-liked is because it is perceived as “something that is very positive, something that helps build family bonds and helps put families on a more secure financial foothold.”
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