A proposed bill to ban first-cousin marriages is set to be presented in the United Kingdom (UK) House of Commons today.
According to international media, if the bill is approved, such marriages will no longer be allowed in the UK.
Currently it is illegal to marry a sibling, parent or child, but not first cousins.
Conservative former minister Richard Holden has now called for the ban.
He said such marriages have been linked to a higher rate of birth defects and can also “reinforce negative structures and control women”.
It is pertinent to mention that cousin marriages are common in many parts of the world but can lead to genetic disorders caused by gene mutations.
Some health experts warn that such unions increase the risk of health issues like infant mortality, infertility, preterm births, thalassemia, epilepsy, hearing and speech impairments, and bipolar disorder.
Earlier, it was reported that Sweden and Denmark were both putting plans in place to ban marriages between cousins over fears the practice is contributing to domestic violence and ‘oppression’.
Cousin marriages in Pakistan
Pakistan has one of the highest rates of cousin marriage globally.
With over 65 per cent of marriages in Pakistan occurring between cousins, and rates rising to 85 per cent in some communities, experts have highlighted a sharp rise in genetic disorders across the country.
