Key points
- Authorities cite growing concerns over genetic disorders in children born from consanguineous unions
- The new ban clashes with long-standing traditions in Azerbaijan
- The law builds on current prohibitions against marriages between immediate family members
- Couples must undergo health screenings before marriage
ISLAMABAD: In a significant shift aimed at safeguarding public health and aligning with international norms, Azerbaijan has amended its Family Code to officially prohibit marriages between individuals who share biological grandparents—a move that directly targets the country’s longstanding tradition of cousin marriages.
The sweeping reform, announced by the Ministry of Justice, updates Article 12 of the Family Code to ban matrimonial unions between first cousins, as well as uncles and nieces, and aunts and nephews, provided they have a common biological grandparent.
The amendment builds upon existing prohibitions that already outlaw marriage between parents and children, siblings, and other close blood relations.
Genetic diseases
“These changes reflect an urgent need to address the mounting public health concern posed by consanguineous marriages,” stated the Ministry in its official communication. “We aim to protect future generations from avoidable genetic diseases and birth disorders.”
Marriage between relatives—particularly cousins—remains a culturally rooted practice in many parts of Azerbaijan.
Yet, studies have long shown a heightened risk of inherited diseases among children born to closely related parents. The government’s new legal measure appears to be a calculated step to interrupt this cycle.
Cultural tradition meets science
Under the revised code, the following categories of marriage are now explicitly prohibited:
- Unions between individuals sharing a biological grandparent (e.g., first cousins);
- Marriages between uncles and nieces or aunts and nephews
- Previously banned unions, including those between parents and children
- Full and half-siblings, adoptive parents and children, legally incapacitated individuals, and persons already married.
The law also reinforces the requirement that all prospective spouses undergo a mandatory medical examination prior to marriage—a clause designed to further prevent the spread of genetic disorders.
While the legislation has been lauded by health experts and human rights advocates, it is likely to stir debate in more conservative and rural parts of the country, where family ties and tribal traditions often outweigh legal doctrine.
Nonetheless, Azerbaijan’s step toward modernising its family laws sends a clear message: tradition must now yield to science and public health.
Global divide
Cousin marriage — the union of individuals who share common ancestors, such as grandparents — is a deeply rooted practice that has woven itself through human history. Once widespread and still prominent in various parts of the world today, it continues to evoke strong opinions and cultural contrasts.
In many societies, especially those with close-knit familial structures, marrying a cousin is not just accepted — it’s often considered ideal, even preferred. Families may encourage such unions as a way to preserve wealth, heritage, or social bonds.
Conversely, in other cultures, these marriages are frowned upon or labelled as taboo, seen through the lens of moral judgment or genetic concern.
Globally, more than 1 in 10 marriages take place between first or second cousins. Despite this prevalence, cousin marriage is restricted or outright banned in several regions.
Countries like China, North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, and parts of India prohibit first-cousin unions.
Criminalised
In the US, 30 out of 50 states disallow them, and in 8 states, such marriages are not just banned — they’re criminalised, making the US unique in its legal stance.
The legal landscape reflects a broader debate.
Supporters of cousin marriage often view restrictions as discriminatory or culturally insensitive, while critics cite genetic risks and moral grounds. From a scientific standpoint, children born to first cousins face a slightly elevated risk (4–6pc) of inheriting recessive genetic disorders, compared to a 3pc baseline in the general population.
Interestingly, a study in Iceland found that marriages between third or fourth cousins — those sharing great-great-grandparents — produced the highest number of descendants, hinting at an evolutionary sweet spot.
Anthropologists and alliance theorists regard cousin marriage as a vital lens through which to understand kinship, inheritance, and societal structure.
From Aboriginal communities in Australia to indigenous peoples in the Americas and Polynesia, cousin unions have long served purposes beyond romance, shaping alliances, territories, and legacies.
Cousin marriage is far more than a personal choice. It’s a cultural, legal, and genetic crossroads, where tradition, science, and society intersect.
