Divorce drives poor women rate
"Only 25 per cent of divorced women receive support for raising children, of whom only 48 percent receive adequate support. The reality is many irresponsible fathers support their children for as little as six months," says Master Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam, Scientific Research Centre for Family and Women.
With their children to care for and feed, women start their new lives with a far greater burden than men. The life of a divorced woman is much harder when facing the future as a single parent.
"Yet, many divorces are the result of economic hardship leading to a series of social consequences, a heavy burden for the shoulders of women who experience more disadvantages in life after divorce," says Tam.
Traditionally, in most households, all valuable property is in the man’s name, leaving women to suffer heavier losses after divorce. "All couples have to register their own property in the local People’s Committee or relevant bodies under the Marriage and Family law. The voluntary support of the husband must be amended to a compulsory regulation, so as to lessen the burden of women," Tam says.
She also explains that family, community and society are extremely important to reduce the increasingly high divorce rate, as well as in raising the awareness and responsibility of those choosing to get married. Furthermore, consultancy centres and clubs would be very helpful to young couples. However, the main requirement to guarantee family happiness is reliable employment and financial security.
"Also, all poor women after divorce have to engage in training courses to improve knowledge and skills that help them approach hunger eradication and poverty reduction programmes. They will benefit from healthcare, education, and medical services most," she adds.
