Thousands of single mothers in Cyprus are facing serious financial problems according to a survey that was conducted more than three years ago but has been essentially shelved since then, as recently discussed in the parliamentary human rights committee, with authorities doing nothing to utilise its findings as a means of taking urgent action.
Seven out of ten single parents, more than 70% being women, are actually on the cusp of not being able to survive all the additional bills, raising the children, producing income and servicing the debt that has been passed on by their former spouse. More than half are on or under the poverty line and facing social exclusion, while one in three have lost their employment following the divorce.
The survey on ‘The Financial Repercussions of Divorce’, conducted by the Ypatia Equality Foundation for the Justice Ministry in 2020 has not been put to use as a tool of allieviating the situation, in spite of the fact that the Republic submitted the paper as data to the United Nations. MPs have asked involved ministries to respond in writing on how they intend to utilise the survey.
‘I am having great difficulty in daily living, with a lack of basic nutrition needs, clothing children, basic furnishings, such as beds for the children and a kitchen table, with running bills, school needs and rent tough to deal with’, a divorced low wage mother said.
Only six out of ten divorced women have a full time job with more than 30 percent remaining unemployed as single parents. It was established by the survey that family and friends offer more to the needs of divorced women than relevant social protection services do.
One in two divorcees are living under the poverty line with their income at just 10 thousand a year, while almost 60% of divorced women face daily practical issues at work, with negative repercussions for their career, with many forced to leave their jobs as they simply cannot balance work with child care following their life changing situation.
More than half of male divorcees faced housing issues as they lost the family home, but almost 7 out of ten single mums are finding it difficult to keep up with the house mortgage payments. Eight out of ten limit their social lives to the bare essentials, only attending children’s functions.
50% of both male and female divorcees, mostly with children, agree that the court should take into account the reasons why debt was taken up or accumulated and share amongst the former couple accordingly. The most serious problem lies with single mothers inheriting massive loans which they have to pay on their own.
