Independent member of Parliament (MP) Iqbal Mohamed has opposed calls to ban first-cousin marriage in the United Kingdom, saying it should “not be stigmatised”, BBC reported on Tuesday.
Experts warn against the irreparable harms of cousin marriage as it could lead to genetic disorders, including thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, and visual and hearing impairment.
While the practice is deeply rooted in cultural and societal norms, it poses a significant health risk to children, primarily genetic disorders, due to the genetic similarity between the parents.
A Conservative former minister, Richard Holden, called for first-cousin marriage to be banned in the UK.
While introducing the proposals in the parliament, he highlighted that the children of first cousins were at higher risk of birth defects and the practice must be prohibited to protect public health.
Under the UK’s current legislation, marriages to a sibling, parent or child are prohibited but not between first cousins.
The MP argued that while the overall prevalence of this practice was low in Western countries, some diaspora communities, such as Irish travellers and British Pakistanis, had “extremely high rates” of 20-40 per cent.
He cited research showing the child of first cousins carries around double the risk of inheriting a serious disorder.
He also said that the practice threatened women’s freedom.
“Women and girls living under a clan mentality often know the scientific risks of first-cousin marriage, but make considered social and cultural calculations,” he stated.
“Strict honour codes, where expressions of individuality can be subject to social isolation, violence and even death in some cases, dominate thinking,” he added.
He further said first-cousin marriage was “not really conducive to modern British society”, adding, “It’s about more than one marriage. It’s about the values and foundations of our society and our democracy.”
Mohamed argued against the proposal. While he agreed that there were health risks and forced marriage must be prevented, he said that a ban would be ineffective and suggested these issues would be better addressed through education programmes to raise awareness of the risks.
“However, the way to redress this is not to empower the state to ban adults from marrying each other, not least because I don’t think it would be effective or enforceable,” he said.
The independent MP also said, “Instead, the matter needs to be approached as a health awareness issue and a cultural issue, where women are being forced against their will to undergo marriage.”
“Instead of stigmatising those who are in cousin marriages or those inclined to be, a much more positive approach would be to facilitate advanced genetic test screening for prospective married couples … and more generally to run health education programs targeting those communities where the practice is most common,” he added.
Mohamed suggested steps could include adopting screening efforts similar to those in Arab countries in the Persian Gulf, according to Sky News.
He stated an estimated 35pc to 50pc of all sub-Saharan African populations “prefer or accept” cousin marriages, and it is “extremely common” in the Middle East and South Asia.
It is popular because it is seen as “something that is very positive, something that helps build family bonds and helps put families on a more secure financial foothold”, he added.