'50% divorced women have to sue for alimony'
NEW DELHI: In a grim reminder that maintenance laws in the country continue to be weak and skewed against women, an independent study has found that over half of separated or divorced women were fighting legal battles for alimony in the absence of little or no financial independence.
Indicating that despite inefficiency of the legal system, women were dependent on it to access their right to maintenance, a study by Economic Research Foundation said of the 405 women interviewed 213 had asked for maintenance.
About 47.4% of those surveyed — that is almost half — had not asked for maintenance. The reasons ranged from not knowing that they were entitled to it to not having the financial means to move courts or choosing not to be dependent on spouse. The survey — Economic Rights and Entitlements of Separated and Divorced Women in India — reached out to women across the country.
"In reality the right to maintenance does not provide women adequate financial support to be able to live in a manner similar to the manner in which they lived during the subsistence of marriage," Kirti Singh, an advocate said.
Indicating that despite inefficiency of the legal system, women were dependent on it to access their right to maintenance, a study by Economic Research Foundation said of the 405 women interviewed 213 had asked for maintenance.
About 47.4% of those surveyed — that is almost half — had not asked for maintenance. The reasons ranged from not knowing that they were entitled to it to not having the financial means to move courts or choosing not to be dependent on spouse. The survey — Economic Rights and Entitlements of Separated and Divorced Women in India — reached out to women across the country.
"In reality the right to maintenance does not provide women adequate financial support to be able to live in a manner similar to the manner in which they lived during the subsistence of marriage," Kirti Singh, an advocate said.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/50-divorced-women-have-to-sue-for-alimony/articleshow/7136506.cms