Single-parent families are a prevalent and economically vulnerable demographic in various countries, regardless of income level. Unfortunately, in many nations, nonresident fathers face difficulties in fulfilling their financial obligations towards child support, either due to their inability or unwillingness to do so.
A recent study led by Rutgers University indicates that implementing publicly guaranteed child support programs might prove more effective than relying solely on nonresident parents with low incomes to bear the burden of payment.
“In much of Europe, the state supports single mothers when fathers are unable to pay child support; children are considered a public good,” the researchers explain. “That’s not how it works in the United States, which contributes to social problems such as poverty and material hardship. If you’re a single mother in the U.S. and the father of your children can’t pay child support, you are kind of on your own.”
Child support
The researchers examined child support policies in 67 nations across varying income levels. The findings revealed a consistent pattern wherein single-mother families, with few exceptions, face a disproportionately higher level of poverty when compared to other family types. Strikingly, in a significant number of nations surveyed, less than one-third of lone mothers receive the child support owed to them by nonresident fathers.
The response of nations to address this issue of low child support receipt demonstrates considerable diversity. In the United States, for instance, nonresident parents are legally obligated to provide child support, irrespective of their financial circumstances. On the other hand, several European countries employ a different approach, countering nonpayment of child support through the provision of public guarantees.
The study also sheds light on the unique nature of child-support policies in many middle- and low-income nations, distinguishing them from those in high-income countries. Notably, several countries operate under a legal framework that recognizes multiple systems, leading to potential discrepancies in the implementation of policies.
In rural regions of Africa, divorce commonly takes the form of a simple dissolution of the marriage, leaving women devoid of any entitlement to child support. Moreover, Pakistan exhibits distinct regulations concerning child support based on the gender of the child, a distinction absent in high-income nations.
The researchers suggest that with the number of single-mother families increasing worldwide because of social and economic changes, poverty reduction and child support policies will be even more intertwined.
