Uzbekistan has proposed new legislative measures aimed at strengthening the protection of women's and children's rights. The Ministry of Justice has submitted a draft law for public discussion, which would tighten responsibility for engaging in de facto marital relations with minors and prohibit marriages between close relatives up to the fourth degree of kinship.
According to the draft, marriages between first, second, and third cousins—as well as between uncles/aunts and their nieces/nephews—would be banned. Exceptions will only be made if there is no biological kinship between the future spouses.
The proposal also seeks to limit the authority of regional governors (hokims) to reduce the legal marriage age. In cases of pregnancy or childbirth, the marriage age may be lowered by a maximum of one year—to 17 years old.
Significant changes are also proposed for penalties related to repeat marriages involving minors. Fines may be increased to 50–100 base calculation units (BCUs), currently exceeding 41 million Uzbek soums (approximately $3,500). Offenders could also face 240 to 300 hours of community service or up to two years of corrective labor.
Currently, Uzbekistan's legislation imposes penalties for such offenses in the form of fines ranging from 20 to 30 base calculation units (8.24 million to 12.36 million soums), up to 240 hours of community service, or up to one year of corrective labor.
The minimum legal age for marriage in Uzbekistan—as well as in other Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan—is 18 for both men and women. In exceptional cases, such as pregnancy, the marriage age may be lowered to 17.
Tajikistan also enforces a ban on early and forced marriages. Parents who marry off underage daughters may face up to five years in prison. Authorities have also warned religious leaders against conducting the Islamic marriage ceremony (nikoh) for individuals under the age of 18.
Despite legal restrictions, cases of early marriages continue to be recorded. According to the Committee on Women and Family Affairs of Tajikistan, 55 cases of marriages involving underage girls were registered in 2024—18 more than in 2023.
