The Condition Of Women Heads Of Single-Parent Families And The Need For State Affirmative Policies

Abstract

This article analyzes the condition of women as heads of single-parent families in the current Brazilian social conjuncture, highlighting the obstacles, difficulties and problems faced by these female figures. Over the centuries, the concept of family has been gradually modified, causing only in the middle of the 20^th century new families’ compositions to gain the necessary legal protection. The role of women as family leader and mother is discussed, while she is still socially vulnerable by remnants of a patriarchal society. The single-parent female families are discussed, as well as the risks due to the social condition of the female gender. It is up to the State to stick to the needs arising from this family composition, putting into practice affirmative policies to overcome the condition of women as socially vulnerable in the collectivity. For that, it was applied qualitative and bibliographic methodology, of pure nature and having a descriptive scope, using books and scientific papers. As a result, we concluded that it is necessary the state action for building affirmative policies which must help to support economic and social development of women who are heads of single-parent families.