Single father in China seeks US$15,000 compensation for housework and child rearing over 8 years in divorce settlement
- A father who raised his two children alone after his wife left eight years ago is granted a lump sum payment by court
- The story has started a widespread discussion in China about the value of housework, raising children and compensation
A court in China has awarded a single father 30,000 yuan (US$4,400) in compensation for raising his two children alone after the breakdown of his marriage.
The man, identified by the pseudonym Zhang Wei, from Huizhou in Guangdong province, southern China raised his two children alone for the last eight years after he and his wife, surnamed Lin, split up. The couple stayed separated but only filed for divorce earlier this year.
After the birth of their second child the marriage broke down and Lin moved out of the family home. Their two children stayed with Zhang who has raised them alone since, the Guangzhou Daily reported.
Zhang told the court that he had taken on sole responsibility for the couple’s children and the housework. He said Lin did not provide any support, financial or otherwise, for the children.
During the divorce proceedings Lin requested that custody of the children remain with Zhang, and that he continue to support them financially.
However, Zhang refused these terms and requested 100,000 yuan (about US$15,000) from Lin as compensation for raising the children alone. An attempt at mediation through the court failed to reach a compromise.
