The economic outlook of Taiwanese single mothers has worsened after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families said in a call for donations on Thursday.
The pandemic has led to a surge in the number of people living beneath the poverty line for the first time in 20 years, the foundation said, citing a UN report.
The economic effects of the pandemic have disproportionately affected women, who have experienced sharp declines in employment and wages, it said.
These findings are also true of Taiwan, with the foundation’s records showing that the largest part of its aid was distributed to single mothers, it said, adding that 85 percent of single mothers receiving aid reported that they ate less to save money for their family.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that children from single-mother households are likely to mature earlier, as they have to help with household finances and management, it said.
The effects of poverty typically begin to be felt when a household’s dependents enter adolescence, it said.
“Most single mothers face immense pressure in caring for their household, while grappling with low incomes and a meager support network, resulting in the feminization of poverty,” foundation chief executive officer Chou Ta-yao (周大堯) said.
The foundation’s strategy to combat the impoverishment of women focuses on vocational training, stipends for living expenses and building up savings to get families out of poverty, she said.
It called on the public to help the group raise NT$20 million (US$631,552) to fully finance its anti-poverty initiatives by purchasing its merchandise, including Hello Kitty and Wawa-themed memorabilia, she said.
Wawa is the foundation’s mascot created by cartoonist Chang Miao-ju (張妙如).
In related news, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 32,068 local COVID-19 infections and 57 deaths.
The deceased ranged in age from their 40s to 90s. All but nine had underlying health issues, and 24 had not received any COVID-19 vaccine doses, the CECC said in a statement.
To date, Taiwan has recorded 6,903,610 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in early 2020, including 35,455 cases classified as imported, and 11,584 deaths.
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