Autonomy and Family Life
There are a lot of conversations right now about family choices and rights. Here are some articles from ATD Fourth World from around the world about women and about family from the point of view of women and families who experience poverty.
How Can Women in Poverty Challenge the Patriarchy of Social Services?
International
We, with more ample incomes and less challenging life circumstances, assume that we know what homeless parents need to do to make their lives better and presume to speak for them in our advocacy and policy-making efforts. In fact, as evidence suggests, our condescension and good intentions may not only be off the mark but also may have extremely detrimental effects on the very parents and children we are trying to help.
Gender and Oppression
International
So for women in poverty, at issue is the right to exist fully as a woman but also as a human being.
Exploitation, Stigma, and Humiliation
Lebanon
To dare to bring her baby into this world she had to face the social workers and society, which was a fight, a form of action. I admired her courage, her decision, and her commitment on behalf of her child. Josianne couldn’t stand for others to decide for her. She wanted to free herself from this threat and decide for herself!
Separating Families Causes Trauma: The Way Forward
United Kingdom
Children need their parents. Parents want to be what their children need. But sometimes they need support and trying to develop that in a board room or an office when you've never experienced any poverty or disability or mental health problems or domestic violence, you are not going to create the solutions that are needed. We need to work with the people facing these challenges to develop the solutions and the services they need.