Discrimination against single parents: Reenart Foundation to help change the narrative

Single parenting has come to stay as far as the world’s family system is concerned and it is quite a tough task to be handled by anyone, be it a man or a woman.

 It comes with double the responsibility, as one is expected to perform the role of both a mother and a father in a child’s life.

That notwithstanding, single parents have little or no respect in our part of the world, Ghanaian society, most especially, if it did not arose from the death of a spouse.

Through, single parenting, many had lost respect in their families, some, never get the opportunity to sit close to social meetings, church leadership roles, family decision making and others had to bear the painful brunt of letting go their would-be better halve because families would not permit their sons and daughters to marry into such homes.

It is for this reason that the Reenart Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) has set for itself the responsibility to help change the narrative of discrimination against single parents in the country.

Stop discrimination against single parents

A brain child of a single parent and a philanthropic arm of the Reenart Multimedia, a multimedia firm, the foundation go by the tag “stop discriminating against single parents and aims to tell stories positive and different from the norm.

Among its vision and mission is to empower single parents and children born into such homes to live about the discrimination forced on them by society and live successful lives.

CEO of Reenart Multimedia speaks on stop discrimination

Sharing the foundation’s genesis with GhanaPlus.com, the Chief Executive Officer of Reenart Multimedia, the mother company of the foundation, Ms Irene Nartey said the foundation was born out of the painful experiences of single parents in the Ghanaian society which was becoming one too many .

“Society view this group of people as second hand individuals when it’s come to decision making, during social meetings, church activities, family decisions contributions etc. Some families won’t even allow their sons or daughters marry this group of people and so the whole aim is to promote and showcase more positive content about these set of people, “she said.

Training in employable skills

She mentioned the foundation through it advocacy work would throw positive light about the lives of single parents, shoulder them in the areas of skills training in employable skills such as wig making, fashion designing, decors and many others to make them comfortable in life.

Scholarships

Ms Nartey added some children from such homes would also be offered educational scholarships to pursue their education to enable them contribute their quota to the development of their families, society and the country in general.

She explained, the foundation would also put in place programs for mentorship, networking and psycho-social well being of the single parents and their children.

“The Reenart foundation’s principal strategy includes support groups, conferences, bringing nationally and locally-renowned single parent speakers as keynote presenters at events just to empower, create networking environments as well as socialize support groups. We will also put in place seminars and training programs, such as wig making, fashion designing, decors, etc one on one consultations, resources services and annual scholarship award program for some children”, the CEO of Reenart Multimedia told GhanaPlus.com.

A look at single parenting globally

 Single parenting is a global phenomenon and Gallup World Poll report last year, it is sharply higher in Sub-Sahara Africa.

The study placed the Sub-Sahara Africa at a rate of 32% as against North America’s 24% and America’s 19%.

In 2019 however, a study of 130 countries and territories by the Pew Research Center report, the United State of America had the world’s highest rate of children living in single-parent households.

The study rate the country’s figure at 23% as against Canada’s 15% , Nigeria’s 5%, India’s 4% and China’s 3%.

In Ghana, it is estimated some 30% of children find themselves in single parent homes.

Discrimination against single parents

It is estimated out of the global figures, some 80% of single parents had experience discrimination in life, a report by singleparentrights.org said.

Source: GhanaPlus.com