CoAbode is an organisation established to provide support for women raising children alone. Their services include connecting single parent women families so they can get together and pool their finances and resources, thereby improving their living conditions. The organisation was founded on the principle that two single moms raising children together can achieve more than one struggling alone. Such organisations deal with issues related to single mothers statistics on a daily basis and as a result they have a good background on updated sets of trends and facts.
On a daily basis, through a variety of community-based programs CoAbode provides single mothers with affordable housing opportunities, and opportunity to be a part of specialized support groups, educational scholarships and community outreach. The fact sheet they supply includes the following single mothers statistics with cited source references;
- The median income for single parent women head of households with children under six years old is roughly 1/4 that of two parent households. (National Survey of Families and Households)
- $39 billion dollars is owed in back child support to 29 million children of single parent women. (2000 National Child Support Report)
- 78% of all single parent women are employed (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003)
- Forty-five percent of all single parent women hold down more than one job. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003)
- Single mothers statistics show that 41% live at or below the poverty level as compared to only 8% of married couples with children under the age of 18. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003)
- In 49 states the average annual cost of childcare exceeds the annual cost of public college tuition. (National Association of Working Women, 2002)
- Single parent women experience the highest rate of unemployment, and receive the lowest rate of pay regardless of their education. (Economic Roundtable, 2004)
- While the hourly wage for women without children is 90% of a man’s, the comparable figure for single mothers statistics is 70%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-2003)
- Fewer than 17% of all single moms receive government assistance even in the minor form of food stamps. (Economic Roundtable, 2002)
Project Single Moms
Many such organisations have access to singe mother’s statistics in order to ensure the effectiveness of their work, another such entity is Project Single Moms, a community website for single moms. Based in Atlanta, GA they are a national advocacy and empowerment movement to mobilize single moms to become the change they desire in their lives. Through strategic partnerships with individuals, corporations, faith & community-based organizations, and government agencies, the organisation works to create opportunities to strengthen and enhance the quality of life for single mothers and their families.
Their 8 core empowerment areas addressing certain single mothers statistics concerning capacity building requirements and fostering independence include advanced education, employment opportunities, financial literacy and wealth building as well as health and wellness. They also assist with homeownership attainment and growing successful businesses.
Their website shares single mothers statistics in America as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau showing that more than 80 percent of black single mothers have completed high school. This achievement aids them in raising families and shatters the myths and stereotypes of single black mothers as welfare queens and drug abusers. The number of single-mother families increased from three million in 1970 to 10 million in 2003, while the number of single-father families grew from less than 500,000 to 2 million. Of the 10 million single mothers, over 3.1 million are single mothers of color.
Studies show that single mothers statistics are climbing in number due to 1.) a larger proportion of births occurring in unmarried women in the 1990s than in the 1960s and 1970s; 2.) rise in divorce among couples with children; and 3.) an increase in Black and Latina men leaving their families due to incarceration. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the following education and financial statistics were released, based on data collected in a 2002 study:
- Approximately 1,169,000 black single mothers – or 37 percent – had graduated from high school only, compared to 2,235,000 or 35 percent – of white single mothers.
- The number of black single mothers statistics with a bachelor’s degree or higher, 315,000, was significantly lower than that of white single mothers statistics with comparable education, 904,000.
- Twenty percent of black single mothers in the study had been divorced, but 62 percent had never been married – suggesting that black single mothers – more than any ethnic group – were most likely to have never been married.
- Nearly one-third of all single mothers – 32 percent – live below the poverty line. However, the condition is more acute for black single mothers; 38 percent, or 1.2 million of 3.1 million black single mothers raise families below the poverty line
- The Soroptomist’s set of single mothers statistics
The name means “best for women,” which is what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best working in turn to inspire others. This international organization for business and professional women, works to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.
Almost as many as 95,000 Soroptimists in approximately 120 countries and territories contribute time and financial support to community via a series of projects that benefit women and girls. Their experience with single mothers statistics is direct and their organisation is driven to ensure that, among other, practices of gender discrimination, female infanticide and pre-natal sex selection are minimised by capacitating women with education and the ability to become self-sustaining.
Single mothers statistics is accompanied by and linked to shocking numbers showing prevalence of gender discrimination and devaluation of women leads to girls and women. These practices result in them being sold into human bondage and sexual slavery, sexual abuse and domestic violence. The following facts about women which bear on single mothers statistics include;
- As many as one in three women have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime.
- According to a recent report, of the 600,000-800,000 people trafficked across international borders annually, 80 % are woman.
- Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours but earn only 10 percent of the world’s income, in addition, they own less than 1 percent of the world’s property.
- Of a total 550 million working poor, 330 million (60 percent) are women.
- The United Nations estimates that globally women and single mothers statistics for unpaid care is worth up to $11 trillion annually.
- Two-thirds of the 880 million illiterate adults are women.
- Of the more than 110 million children not in school, approximately 60 percent are girls.
- By age 18, girls have received an average of 4.4 years less education than boys.
In addition, the numbers of children born to single parents in the United States has increased to four out of ten of all births. Single mothers statistics include figures showing that 41 per cent of children born in 2008 did not have married parents which is up from 28 % in 1990.
The study cited additionally found that in America there is a declining number of teenage mothers and rising in numbers of older parents. U.S. based research derived from census reports and health statistics by the Pew Research Centre shows that couples in western societies marry later in life and choose to become parents only once they are financially able.
Single mothers statistics in the wake of birth control have also been affected due to the fact that a woman can choose to stay single and sexually active, but adds to the likelihood that she may become pregnant. However, circumstances have not stopped single mothers from enduring and facing their challenges head on. This is already seen reflected in the single mothers statistics on education, and will continue to show up in studies over the next decade.