International Manifesto for Equality, Visibility and Support for Single-Parent Families

Joint Declaration – October 31, 2025

In the city of León (Spain), gathered on October 29, 30, and 31, 2025, at the First Global Symposium: Single-Parent Families, organized by the Isadora Duncan Foundation, with the participation of representatives from Morocco, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Austria, North Macedonia, Spain, and Scotland.

We affirm our commitment to the dignity, rights, and real equality of all single-parent families, without distinction of origin, culture, economic situation, or personal circumstances.

Single-parent families are an essential pillar of our societies, sustaining daily life, care, and upbringing with effort and resilience—often under unequal conditions and without the recognition we deserve. Every day we face structural barriers that hinder our access to resources, the reconciliation of work-life balance, and full participation in social and economic life.

Today, millions of households worldwide are headed by a single person, the majority of which are headed by a single mother, who assumes the full responsibility for parenting, providing for, and caring for her family. 

Despite our contribution as single-parent families —essential to society— and the tireless effort required to maintain a single-parent household, we continue to face structural inequalities that affect our families’: Impacts of gender inequality, limited access to work-life balance policies, workplace discrimination, insufficient financial aid, and low social visibility. This situation not only limits our opportunities but also prevents full recognition of the value and importance of our families in building fairer and more equitable societies.

In many countries, poverty continues to disproportionately affect single-parent families, particularly those headed by women. Child poverty, a direct consequence of the economic vulnerability of mothers or fathers, violates fundamental rights and perpetuates cycles of inequality that span generations. In addition, housing-related problems —such as difficulty accessing decent housing, housing insecurity or risk of eviction— exacerbate the social and emotional exclusion of millions of mothers, fathers and children.

We therefore demand the adoption of urgent, comprehensive and coordinated public policies that must guarantee universal access to adequate housing, sufficient income to live with dignity, and specific measures to eradicate child poverty. Only through real political will from States and international cooperation can we ensure that no single-parent family is left behind.

It is for this shared purporse that the associations gathered here share the mission of supporting single-parent families and strengthening their voice in social, legal and economic policy:

• Isadora Duncan Foundation (León, Spain) – As single mothers, we work with and for single-parent families, promoting their legal, social, and economic recognition. We create tools that promote support for employment, education, and housing; and we raise awareness of gender-based violence in all its forms, especially economic violence, which affects all of us.

• 100% Mamans (Morocco) – Defends the rights of single mothers and their children, offering shelter, legal advice, training and inclusion programs.

• Single Mother Families Australia (SMFA) – Improves the security and well-being of single-parent families, especially those affected by gender-based violence, providing specialized support and advocating for social change.

• Council of Single Mothers and their Children (CSMC, Australia) – Achieving change by empowering single mothers and their children, and by advocating for their rights and needs, and promoting specialized support services.

• Carrefour Familles Monoparentales (Canada) – Provides material assistance, emotional support and social activities, fostering friendship and personal and family growth.

• Asociación de Familias Monoparentales de Querétaro (Mexico) – Improves the quality of life of single-parent families by promoting work-life balance, housing support, access to employment and a life free from violence.

• Ciudad de las Mujeres y Liga de Mujeres Desplazadas (Colombia) – Fights for the restitution of the rights of victims affected by violence and displacement from the armed conflict in Colombia.

• Asociación Solidaridad con Madres Solteras (Spain) – Accompanies single-parent families in housing, employment and reconciliation, promoting social integration and economic autonomy.

• Youth of Diverse Families (North Macedonia) – Promotes inclusion, respect and recognition of all forms of family, strengthening community participation.

• Thanks Day (Austria) – Recognizes and thanks single-parent families for their dedication, organizing support and celebration events and activities.

• Fagamos (Galicia, Spain) – Supports single-parent families in housing, employment and reconciliation, helping overcome socioeconomic challenges, fighting for equality and recognition of rights and implementing specific support measures.

• Amasol (Aragon, Spain) – Strengthens the autonomy and quality of life of single-parent families through comprehensive support.

• One Parent Families Scotland (United Kingdom) – Works with and for single-parent families, providing support services that enable them to reach their potential and helping create lasting solutions to poverty and the barriers faced by many single mothers/fathers and their children.

We demand the legal and social recognition of all single-parent families as fundamental actors in society, and the implementation of inclusive and equitable public policies that guarantee equal opportunities in education, employment, health and housing. We demand real support for work-life balance, effectively addressing the needs of single-parent families, as well as greater social visibility and respect to promote a cultural change that values and recognizes the diversity and richness of our families.

We denounce the existence of economic violence as a form of structural violence that directly impacts the autonomy and stability of single-parent families. We condemn this reality and demand effective mechanisms for prevention, protection and reparation, as well as legal and social frameworks that ensure compliance with economic obligations and the right to a dignified life free from violence for all.

We claim our right to produce and consume culture, to participate actively in artistic, scientific and social creation, as well as our right to enjoy leisure time and rest, both with our children and in our own personal spaces. Enjoyment, rest and access to cultural life must not be privileges reserved for a few, but fundamental rights that promote the integral health of single-parent families and contribute to building more balanced, happy and cohesive societies.

We call for international cooperation among associations to share experiences, to/that strengthen our collective voice and demand from governments, institutions and civil society a firm and concrete commitment to all single-parent families, working together for a fairer, more equitable and inclusive world, where their value, diversity and dignity are fully recognized.

Together, we reaffirm our commitment to fight for the dignity, equality and well-being of all single-parent families, convinced that united we can transform society and strengthen our collective voice.

Link to the study: https://makemothersmatter.org/mmm-state-of-motherhood-in-europe-2024/

"Who walks the red carpet can no longer be swept under the carpet.“

1. My Story

16 years ago, I would never have dreamed of organizing a gala for single moms, some dads and their children. 16 years ago I was a happily divorced woman. I finally had my peace and my three little children too. Then came the letter. My ex-husband wrote, that he would no longer be able to pay alimony to our three children and the nightmare began.  

It took 1.5 years before I received adequate state support for my children instead of alimony. Austria is one of the richest countries in the world. But at that time 17% of children of single moms received neither alimony nor state support.   

In this time of poverty because of a bad law I could hardly sleep and I cried, when my children didn`t see. I was angry, I was desperate, I felt like an old woman and I was so dizzy that I couldn`t move my head left or right. Which was impractical with three kids and my job as a teacher. 

My children understood the situation. They understood why I always said: „No, no, no…we can not effort this, we can not effort that.“ So they even did not realy dare to ask me to buy exercise books or new pens  for school. Going to swim or buying an ice cream was luxury. And I knew: “If I don't fight back, I'll get sick.” 

2. Politics

I became a political activist. I founded an association, collected signatures and celebrities for my petition to modernize the maintenance law. For one year I stood every Wednesday for one hour in front of the Austrian parliament with my shield in my hands. So the media began to take notice. They wrote about me and invited me to talkshows. So I slowly made the issue  become a topic. The journalist Nadja Sarwat wrote: “Maria Stern is a suffragette of single moms.” 

I spoke to politicians of all parties (except the far-right-ones) and they all said: “Oh, how bad! We didn't know that! We will change that law!” But they didn´t. So I went into politics myself. I made the issues of single moms and child poverty a political topic during the naional election 2017 and one year later I the became chairwoman of a parliamentary party „JETZT“.

As a top politician I was interviewd a lot and I turned EVERY subject like economics, traffic, housing, education, health, security or environment into an issue of single moms. That means one simple thing: we need more single moms in politics.  

Because one who does not face the struggles we do, can simply imagine them. Ist like living on a different planet. So no one will do political work for us. Of course it costs energy we dont have. Of course it costs  time we dont have.  But you know what? Because of my political work my suffering turned into sense. That gave me power, gave me respect and one sunny day it gave me money.

I faced both: being a working poor single mom AND being a top politician. And I tell you today to make this very clear: as a single mom I worked more than a top politician and I had more responsability . 

That makes the next thing clear: we need to change our look at single moms. We need to change their image. Then good laws will follow. Single moms  are the benchmark of women's policy. Only when single moms are doing well women's policy is a success. Single moms are the benchmark. 

3. Lady Liberty

Yesterday I saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time, although I love her for a very lomg time. She is a woman. For me, she is a single mom. She carries the torch of freedom and brings light in old habits, thought patterns and toxic laws. In her other hand, she holds words. She knows what she is doing.  

Single moms want their freedom. That means time and money. So they need good laws.  

4. „Bastard“

I did not understand why so many single moms suffer from poverty and isolation and no one really cares. I was sure that this must have historical reasons, so I started to do research. Because the history of single moms is non written yet. Although we have always been there. „Falling moms“ and their „bastards“ existed at any time and in every country.  

I wrote the text „Bastard“ with storys from Greek mythology to Christianity and fairy tales. From middle Age until now.  

Then I looked around to see what the situation is in the present time: in Austria, USA, Turkey, Iran, Brazil, Ukrain, China or Afrika. I published the text as an audiobook at spotify and Apple Podcast.  You can take the text for free. It`s over there. You can write it further or bring it on stage. That would be wonderful.

We need to know our history in order to take off our heavy backpack we carry without guilt.  

5. Potenzial

For over 2,000 years, single moms and their children have been marginalized, exploited and discriminated against. This must stop. We need their potential. In a world that is falling appart, we need our full potential. 

If Shakespeare had been a single mom, would he have written a single play? If Albert Einstein had been a single mom, would we know his name today? If Mozart had been a single mom, who would have written The Magic Flute? If Donald Trump was a single mom, would he act like he does?   

It is simply stupid to do without the potential of single mothers. They are masters of resilience, they are THE top performers in all nations. Focused, efficient, flexible, responsible, emphatic and solution-oriented. I was once asked by our party founder why I was so focused, efficient, flexible, responsible, emphatic and solution-oriented in my political work. Why I didn't get involved in hours of fruitless debates and internal power struggles. My answer was: Well, I am a single mom.  

6. Thanks Day

After my time in politics, I founded the organization THANKS DAY- World Day for Single Parent Families & Friends. I wanted attention and acknowledgement and appreciation for single moms and their children.

So I organized THANKS Summits, the first online conferences for singlemom- organizations in history. Through the summits I got connected with about 30 Single Mom Organizations worldwilde and I definitly want to connect them all. To learn from each other, and to strenghen each other. 

I organized the first THANKS Gala last may in Vienna, where we rolled out the red carpet for single moms. I am sure: „Who walks he red carpet can not longer be swept under the carpet.“ The response was overwhelming. Brands like L'Oréal or Lindt Chocolate were immediately on board. That gave me hope.   

7. Call to Action

Trump confuses the world right now. The singer-songwriter Joan Baez once said: „Action is the medicine for despair.“ So let’s not lose our nerves and use the challenges as an opportunity to propose  brandnew visions. My vision since Covid is to build the first global network for single moms and their organizations. Therefore we need all of you and money. There at the table we have lists. If you want to join, you can share your adress to join the movement.

This month we all wrote the first manifesto for single moms in history. Now its up to the United Nation to implement it. We can help. I‘m so ready. Thank you.

New York, March 13, 2025