Discussion about Share food It has become an urgent issue in the country, not only because of the economic crisis, but also because of the huge number of women who raise their children alone without receiving the contribution that is equal to them. The latest statistics indicate a worrying scene: more than half of parents do not pay directly, and those who do, in many cases, contribute amounts that are not even sufficient to cover the child’s basic expenses.
Behind this problem, which seems to be limited to a judicial proceeding or a monthly filing, hides a web of excuses, strategies to evade responsibilities and a judicial system that often moves slowly.This leaves mothers in a very vulnerable position.
Why don’t many parents pay child support? The underlying causes of the problem are huge
The strongest data comes from UNICEF’s latest report, 68% of mothers do not receive food rations regularly, and 56% do not receive anything at all. This means that more than half of the boys and girls whose father does not live with them grow up without the contribution required by law.
But why does this happen?
The most common causes, according to the same report, are:
- Poor relationship with mother or children (61%): Many men justify non-compliance by arguing about personal or relationship conflicts, as if their financial contribution were a tool for punishment or manipulation.
- Lack of work or insufficient income (24%): It is a common excuse in a country where informal employment is high. However, this does not absolve the legal duty, and if the father cannot pay, the responsibility falls on the grandparents or other immediate family members.
Specialists agree that this is not just the case religion Economic, but it is a type of economic violence that directly affects the daily lives of children, not just mothers. According to the Equality and Justice Team in Latin America (ELA), this type of violence is part of a broader framework, where if there is food debt, there are often other forms of violence as well.
Rations and poverty: how Does non-payment affect single-parent families?
The social context in which this non-compliance occurs exacerbates everything:
- 7 a contract 10 Single-parent families are poor,
- 3 a contract 10 They are destitute.
- Moreover, 80% Of the single-parent families headed by a woman.
This means that the majority of mothers raising alone not only have to cover the lack of parental contribution, but they do so in a negative economic scenario, where working hours double, stress increases and expenses pile up. Without the cooperation of another responsible adult.
What should mothers do when the father stops paying child support?
Argentine law states that both parents are obligated to support their children until the age of 21, or up to 25 if they are studying.
When fathers stop pushing, mothers can begin to:
- mediation;
- alimony trial;
- Claim breach if a prior agreement already exists.
However, the first major hurdle appears, Many women do not know their rights. According to official data:
- he 65% He does not know which institutions to go to.
- he 46% The scope of the alimony obligation is not known.
This means that many agreements are made “by word of mouth”, a dangerous practice that ultimately leaves mothers without formal tools for complaint.
Child support: Why do informal agreements harm mothers?
Lawyer Anna Rosenfeld explains that couples who separate without a written agreement usually remain at the mercy of the father’s will. He points out that “when there is no legal framework, people do whatever they want.”
The most common problems are:
- sporadic payments;
- arbitrary amounts;
- Excuses to delay or reduce payment;
- Inconsistencies between what they say and what they actually contribute.
Furthermore, informal agreements do not take into account:
Inflation updates
- additional expenses;
- Accumulated debts
- Penalties for non-compliance.
That is why the recommendation of specialists is always the same, everything must be in writing and approved by the judge.
What happens if the father has no job or is “deleted”? Food ration and ancestral responsibility
One of the most common and incorrect beliefs is that if the father does not work or does not have assets, the mother is left without legal possibilities. This is completely untrue.
The law defines a chain of economic responsibility:
- father;
- paternal grandparents;
- Family property and assets.
This means that if the father cannot pay, the mother can claim from the grandparents. If the father decides to “disappear”, work illegally, or appear insolvent, it is also possible to make progress by imposing a block on real estate or assets. There have even been recent cases in which the court forced the man’s new partner to cover his accumulated food debts.
Do current penalties work for child support debtors?
For years, different strategies have been applied:
- Suspension of driver’s license;
- Banning entry to stadiums
- Block social media;
- Registration in the records of food defaulters.
But according to Rosenfeld, none of these measures will be truly effective. The lawyer asserts that many men continue to travel, rent holiday homes and maintain a full life without paying the fees. For her, The only truly deterrent measure is “detention for a period of between five and ten days.” Because it’s “the only way for them to learn.”
What happens with food rations in justice? The slowness that makes everything worse
Although the civil law is modern, those working in the field of family law denounce that trials:
- They are slow.
- They require excessive testing.
- They last for years.
- They set initial quotas that are outdated due to inflation.
There are cases where, After two or three years of experimentation, the final amount does not adapt to the current economic context. There are even such ridiculous cases as agreements that allow the debt to be repaid in 100 installments. Specialists demand the speed of issuing judgments, the updating of values before dictating them, and the speed of justice’s action because of its direct impact on the lives of children.
How is today’s food ration calculated? The importance of the education indicator
Since 2022, there has been a main instrument, the Crianza Basket, that I have prepared Indic.
Includes:
- feeding;
- residence;
- education;
- convey
- like;
- nursing.
This indicator acts as a minimum for the floor, not the ceiling.
Although its value declined, it helped modernize amounts that had become completely obsolete. Today there are more than 50 phrases in the country that use it to set or update a ration. In addition, it has advantages:
- It does not depend on the father’s salary;
- Allows you to claim even if you are running in the black;
- Recognizes the value of mothers’ care work;
- It guarantees a standard of living that matches the real needs of children.