19.02.23
UN New York - Our virtual #CSocD61 event, which took place on the margins of the 61st UN Commission on Social Development, brought together expert speakers from varied backgrounds to discuss the situation of single mothers in diverse contexts across the world. Their vulnerability to poverty and exclusion, the multiple challenges they face, and the solutions that are implemented to support them, notably in accessing decent work, were the key drivers of the discussion.
The event, titled ‘Leave no single mother behind‘, took place as a webinar on 15 February 2023.
Statistics show that globally, lone parents with children head up 8% of all households, with lone mothers the overwhelming majority (84.3 per cent). However, these statistics do not reveal the whole story: many lone mothers live in extended households, in particular those that need to balance unpaid care and paid care work. They are therefore not counted as such and remain invisible to policy makers.
Our event highlighted the different socio-economic and cultural contexts and the many possible reasons behind single motherhood: from abandonment or rape to divorce or separation, to fleeing a violent or abusive relationship, single motherhood is rarely a choice, and often puts these mothers and their children in extremely vulnerable situations.
We also looked at the many solutions in response to these varied contexts. Most combine practical aspects like sheltering, providing childcare services, and legal and emotional support, with training and counseling. They aim at rebuilding these mothers’ self esteem, equip them with both education on practical aspects of their life – like financial literacy, and professional skills – so they can regain their autonomy and take their place in the community.
Policies are another important lever for change and the focus of MMM’s advocacy work. The EU Child Guarantee, which was adopted in 2021 by EU member States, aims at reducing child poverty in Europe, and is therefore a first important step to support single mothers as many of those children living in poverty belong to single parents households. Still, this is not enough and MMM also provided some policy recommendations to specifically support single mothers.
Soon to come, a full report and key takeaways from the discussion
Moderator:
Panel:
Setting the scene:
Solutions from the ground from MMM Network and beyond:
Solutions from governments
→ See also our pre-event article with background information and the speakers bios
02.07.22
UN New York, HLPF - Join us on July 11th for a discussion on how #SharingTheCare at every level - family, community, governments and private sector - is vital for
26.04.22
We are delighted to be launching our new podcast series An almost Perfect Mother featuring Isabelle Roskam, professor of development and parenting psychology at the University of Louvain, Belgium. Isa
09.05.22
UN New York, HLPF - In the Sustainable Development Goals, Target 5.4 calls for the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid family care work, i.e. the domestic and care work
19.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - Framing Care as a Human Right at the UN level - right to care, right to be cared for, right to self-care - would unequivocally put obligations on all governments to provide ade
14.03.23
Make Mothers Matter submitted its contribution to the Call for Evidence of the EU Commission on Mental Health.
10.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - The dialog following the presentation of the report Women, girls and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment was the opportunity for MMM to reaffirm the urgen
10.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - At the annual day on the rights of the child, which focused on child rights in the digital environment, MMM reaffirmed the importance of considering parents as key stakeholders
07.03.23
Family is the primary social structure through which the needs and rights of children and young people are met and realized. The right to family life as set out by the UNCRC, is a key right for all children and
04.03.23
Like thousands of others, Razia Arefi, who had been working as a field director for our associate member Mothers for Peace in Afghanistan, fled the country in August 2021 after the Taliban takeover and became a