Polygamy in Kazakhstan

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]

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]