Polygamy in Kazakhstan

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The practice of polygamy has had a long history in Kazakhstan , which officially decriminalized the practice in 1998, being the only Central Asian country to do so. [1] Polygamous marriages are not recognized under the law, but bigamy is not a crime. [2] [3] In practice, polygamy is common in Kazakhstan, [4] and is often seen as a sign of a man's social prestige. [5]

Contents

Polygamous marriage

While currently illegal, there have been numerous proposals in the recent years to legislate polygamous marriage in the country; the most recent attempt was in mid-2008. [6] A similar bill was introduced in 2007, [7] though was swiftly killed in the parliament. In February 2011, presidential candidate Amatay Asilbek stated that legalizing polygamy was one of his campaign positions. [8]

Many proponents of the legislation of polygamous civil marriage in Kazakhstan have argued that legalizing polygamous marriage would help balance out the uneven population, [9] while others have cited the Qur'an as an argument in favor of such legislation, which permits men to marry up to four wives; according that he treats them equally and can financially look after them. [10] [11] [12]

Opponents argued that the practice was dangerous to society, while other groups viewed the legislation as discrimination against women, since it would not allow for polyandrous marriages, which sparked a social debate over a possible "common ground" resolution. [13]

Public opinion

A poll conducted in 2004 found that some 40% of Kazakh men supported the legislation of polygamy in Kazakhstan, while only 22% of women supported the idea, though with some reservations. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Saidazimova, Gulnoza (2008-05-28). "Central Asia: Kazakhstan Debates Polygamy Amid Regional Rise In Popularity". Rferl.org. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  2. "Polygamy a Fact of Life in Kazakhstan".
  3. "Узаконить многоженство в Казахстане предлагают депутаты". zonakz.net (in Russian). 2019-04-01. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  4. "Polygamy a Fact of Life in Kazakhstan".
  5. "Kazakstan: The Pain of Polygamy".
  6. Gizitdinov, Nariman (8 December 2013). "Polygamy offers young women of Kazakhstan a ticket out of poverty". The Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  7. Pannier, Bruce (20 March 2007). "Kyrgyzstan: Debate On Legalized Polygamy Continues". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  8. Platt, John (2011-02-18). "Kazakhstan presidential candidate wants to legalize polygamy". Mnn.com. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  9. "Kazakhstan Population 2024 (Live)". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  10. Yemelianova, G.M. (2014-07-03). "Islam, national identity and politics in contemporary Kazakhstan" . Asian Ethnicity. 15 (3): 286–301. doi:10.1080/14631369.2013.847643. ISSN   1463-1369.
  11. "За религиозный обряд бракосочетания без официальной регистрации брака наказывать не будут". informburo.kz (in Russian). 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  12. Имангалиев, Батырбек (2020-06-18). ""Религия для них служит прикрытием": тюрколог рассказала, почему казахстанцы продолжают брать токал и откуда это пришло". Караван (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  13. Najibullah, Farangis (2011-06-23). "Polygamy A Fact Of Life In Kazakhstan". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2024-11-16.