Cousin Marriage in Pakistan

TL;DR

This study uses survey data from Pakistan to analyze how cousin marriage affects women's autonomy, showing it tends to reinforce traditional gender roles and limit women's economic participation.

Contribution

It provides new quantitative evidence on the impact of cousin marriage on women's labor, household status, and attitudes in Pakistan, clarifying contradictory prior claims.

Findings

Cousin marriage is associated with reduced women's paid work participation.

Women in cousin marriages are more involved in unpaid and home-based labor.

Cousin marriage correlates with greater acceptance of spousal violence.

Abstract

This paper examines the role of cousin marriage in shaping women's autonomy, household status, and labor supply in Pakistan. Existing research offers contradictory claims: some suggest that cousin marriage improves women's position within the household, while others argue it limits their freedoms and economic opportunities. Using data from 15,068 married women in the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18, this study provides new quantitative evidence. Results indicate a modest negative association between cousin marriage and women's participation in paid work, alongside a stronger link to home-based and unpaid labor. Women in cousin marriages do not appear to gain household status relative to those in non-cousin marriages and are more likely to justify spousal violence, reflecting entrenched patriarchal norms. These findings suggest that cousin marriage may reinforce traditional gender roles and constrain women's economic and social autonomy.