Commentary: The road to housing for single, unwed mothers is clearer but still bumpy
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Commentary: The route to housing for unmarried, unwed mothers is clearer only even so bumpy
Housing is arguably the virtually key applied issue that unwed mothers must deal with, says Shailey Hingorani, Head of Research and Advocacy at AWARE.
File photo of HDB flats. (Photo: Hester Tan)
08 Mar 2022 06:01AM (Updated: 31 Mar 2022 02:46PM)
SINGAPORE: International Women's Day offers an opportunity to evaluate the extent to which socio-economical and other gaps between men and women have narrowed.
But any true vision of gender equality must also consider differences between women – including the difference betwixt married and unmarried mothers.
Unwed mothers confront a double disadvantage: They unmarried-handedly carry not only the typical burden of motherhood, but besides the stigma and tribulations of being single in a society that encourages a mainstream definition of parenthood (i.e. within matrimony).
Single parenthood also sees one person accept on an incredibly heavy responsibility meant for two.
Some changes are afoot. The Ministry of National Development has appear on Midweek (Mar 4) that single, unwed parents over the historic period of 21 can now also buy a 3-room flat in a not-mature estate from HDB, compared to a 2-room flat previously.
These moves are encouraging. Withal more can and should exist washed to improve housing access, arguably the most central applied result that unwed mothers and their children face.
Every bit the Regime has expressed, it'due south a national imperative to give every child a headstart in life, whether with affordable quality childcare, education or otherwise. Stable housing should surely exist part of that social compact.
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THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS
MPs, activists, social workers and single parents themselves have been instrumental in moving Singapore toward greater compassion for unwed mothers.
Whereas in the early 1990s, the Authorities argued that a conservative society like Singapore did not "accept" unwed motherhood, in 2019, the Ministry of National Evolution indicated that all mothers are equal, and that all unwed mothers, regardless of age, were welcome to apply for HDB housing.
"Single unwed parents and their children are our valued citizens. Nosotros are committed to do better," Senior Parliament Secretary for National Development Sun Xueling said in September 2019, in response to MP Louis Ng's adjournment motion, in which he called for more than to exist washed for single unwed parents.
"I want unmarried unwed parents to know that we share their want to ensure the well-existence of their child, and nosotros volition try our best to back up them."
Several other notable policy changes have resulted in unwed mothers being treated on par with their married counterparts. For example, in 2013, paid childcare leave was extended to unwed mothers. In 2016, Child Development Accounts – special savings accounts for educational activity and medical expenses – were fabricated attainable to children born out of marriage.
The same year as well saw paid maternity exit for unwed mothers increment from 8 to 16 weeks, which is now equal to the entitlement provided to married mothers.
We should gloat these changes, which provide very real material benefits to mothers in caring for their children.
That said, some public policies nevertheless evidence bias towards parenthood outside of marriage – such as revenue enhancement rebates for childbirth, Working Mother'southward Child Relief and the enhanced Baby Bonus cash souvenir.
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Admission TO GRANTS STILL IMPEDED
Housing is not just virtually a roof over your caput. Unreliable housing seriously undermines a mother'south ability to stay employed, to protect her children from abuse, and to have the time and space to plan for her family unit's futurity.
Wednesday'south announcement – that HDB would take applications from all unwed parents for up to a 3-room flat, in add-on to resale flats – will certainly meliorate the situation for those who tin can afford such flats.
However, Parliament had previously revealed, in response to a question from Mr Ng, that the median monthly employment income for unwed mothers below the age of 35 is S$600. About, therefore, are probable to need subsidies, so their choice of housing will yet exist limited despite this modify.
HDB policy also does non allow unwed, single parents and their children to count as a "family nucleus", which would make them eligible for flats and housing grants under the Families Grant scheme.
ACCESS TO HOUSING REMAINS UNCERTAIN
More broadly, although the changes now provide more options and have lowered the age of eligibility, unmarried mothers will still demand to make these requests through HDB where their needs will be assessed, or through their MPs, rather than through the usual sales channels.
Requests for rental housing also remains on a case-by-case footing. Mr Ng's appeal for MND to define objective criteria on how housing applications get evaluated was besides rejected on grounds that each example is unique, and that the Authorities needs to do maximum flexibility.
Our feel tells u.s.a. that such an approach has historically failed to meet the housing needs of unwed mothers.
National-level data shared in Parliament reveals that when it comes to rental housing applications from single unwed parents, rejections outnumber approvals. From 2014 to May 2019, MND has only approved 380 rental applications out of the i,014 requests received.
Similarly, from 2022 to 2016, only virtually 20 per cent of the 100 unmarried, unwed mothers nether 35 who appealed to buy a flat had their applications canonical.
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Back up, HOUSING AND ENABLEMENT
Since 2018, AWARE has run the Support, Housing and Enablement (S.H.Due east.) Project, which currently provides free housing for two years to unmarried-mother families. Of these mothers, 1-third are unmarried mothers under the age of 35.
They all come from unstable housing backgrounds, either living in transitional shelters or moving house to house considering no family member was willing to provide shelter for long enough. They have little or no family back up, and oft put up with familial abuse in order to continue living with family.
1 of the mothers, Nurul*, told us that her prior living arrangement with her brother was untenable considering he was easily angered and frequently resorted to physical abuse. Once, he striking her daughter while she was sleeping and caused her nose to bleed. Another time, he threatened to beat her for staring at him.
Staying at S.H.E. has allowed Nurul to concentrate on finding full-time employment. Her relationship with her family has improved considering they are not crowded into the same small-scale infinite anymore. Her child is growing up in an emotionally stable environment, complimentary from abuse.
After MND openly invited unwed parents to apply for housing concluding year, one of the Due south.H.E. mothers managed to secure rental housing; she now plans to movement out of Due south.H.E. The others are withal struggling because of their single status.
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WHY Non EQUALISE BENEFITS?
A roadmap towards housing equality for all mothers could look similar this: An unwed mother and her children would count as a family nucleus, enabling them to employ for public housing under the Families Scheme.
And overall, unwed parents, whether the children stop upwardly with the father or mother, would have access to housing equally a thing of policy and not on a case-past-case basis. There would be a separate scheme for those nether the age of 35 to utilise for 2- or iii-room flats (similar to the existing Orphans or Joint Singles Scheme).
The struggle for a life gratuitous from discrimination and social stigma is far from over for these mothers. As a caring and inclusive social club, this International Women'south Day, let us pledge to extend the aforementioned benefits to all mothers regardless of their marital status.
Shailey Hingorani is Head of Enquiry and Advocacy at Aware.
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/single-unwed-mother-hdb-mnd-policy-child-family-support-subsidy-195666
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