The Center for Democracy Foundation organized a public debate titled “Single and Independent – Local Policies to Support Parents Who Struggle Alone” on April 1, 2025, as part of the Social Pillar of the “SDGs for All” Platform.

The discussion focused on improving local policies to enhance the position of single parents, i.e., single-parent families, as well as measures and solutions that would contribute to the creation of more inclusive policies and services at the local level.

The participants in the discussion included: Lidija Kuzmanov, researcher; Dragan Stanojević, Institute for Sociological Research; Gordana Savić, Užice Center for Human Rights and Democracy; Staniša Stanković, peer educator for youth from single-parent families; Dr. Zorica Mršević, lawyer, researcher, and human rights activist; Marija Srdić, researcher; Nataša Vučković, Center for Democracy Foundation; Ivona Gvozdenović, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation; and others. The debate was moderated by journalist Ivana Stojanović.

The discussion highlighted that nearly half of single parents in Serbia and their children (48.9%) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 22.1% in families with both parents. It was also noted that the lifestyle in single-parent families paves the way for the multiplication of poverty, which leads to child poverty.

Research on the position of single parents shows that they face numerous problems: unresolved housing issues, unemployment, discrimination in employment and at work, lack of money, unpaid child support, lack of assistance in childcare, and absence of adequate social support – both institutional and non-institutional.

Data shows that nearly 35% of single-parent households are at risk of poverty, while in two-parent families, this rate is nearly 19%. Low work intensity is present in 34% of single-parent households, while in two-parent households, it is just above 8%.

Furthermore, single parenthood has a pronounced gender dimension, with 80% of single parents being women who, if they do not have adequate institutional childcare in their community, face the issue of how they can even be employed. In the case of families with children with disabilities, the problems are enormously multiplied. The state of social services in the local community is concerning, and it is important to analyze how to respond to the needs of these families.

When discussing the concept of single parents or single-parent families, the existing legal definition is very narrow. The importance of the Social Protection Strategy was emphasized, along with segmenting vulnerable groups and analyzing what each subgroup needs, in accordance with the key principle of the 2030 Agenda: “Leave no one behind.”

The debate concluded that it is important to connect, exchange data, experiences, and examples of good practices, in order to define common directions for future actions. Inter-municipal cooperation can be a good framework for planning social protection services; a connection between planning and financing services is necessary, as well as the collection and analysis of data on the needs of the most vulnerable.