A COFACE Families Europe member, the Isadora Duncan Foundation for single parents, organised the 1st Global Symposium on Single-Parent Families, which took place in the city of León on 29, 30, and 31 October 2025, at the Library of the Sierra Pambley Foundation.
This symposium brought together associations and organisations that defend the social, fiscal, and legal rights of single-parent families in different parts of the world, with the goal of meeting and sharing experiences with organizations from various countries and continents. The objective was to create an informal global network of entities and individuals working to promote the rights of single-parent families worldwide, since – beyond nationalities, cultures, and traditions – mothers sustain the world.
The 1st Global Symposium on Single-Parent Families featured the following organizations:
Fundación Isadora Duncan (Spain), 100% Mamans (Morocco), Vulnerability & One Parent Family Network (Australia), Council of Single Mothers and Their Children (Australia), Carrefour Familles Monoparentales (Canada), Asociación de Familias Monoparentales de Querétaro (Mexico), Ciudad de las Mujeres and Liga de las Mujeres Desplazadas (Colombia), Solidaridad con Madres Solteras (Spain), Amasol (Spain), Fagamos (Spain), One Parent Families Scotland (Scotland), Youth of Diverse Families (North Macedonia), Thanks Day (Austria), Victoria y yo (Bolivia), Fryshuset (Sweden).
Throughout the symposium, there were working sessions aimed at getting to know each other and sharing experiences about the different realities of single parenthood at the global level. Discussions was also addressing issues affecting single-parent families, such as their legal status in various countries, cultural perceptions, the creation of an informal network of single-parent families, as well as technological challenges and the role of artificial intelligence in family life.
Based on the conclusions drawn from these sessions, a public manifesto was drafted and shared internationally.
The different panels were moderated by renowned figures such as journalist Ana Gaitero; lawyer Emilio Oviedo; Head of the Coordination Unit against Gender-Based Violence, Jessica Martínez; Deputy Director-General for Family Diversity and Family Support at the Directorate-General for Family Diversity and Social Services of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda, Félix Barajas; Knowledge and Awareness Specialist – Citizens and Minors (INCIBE), Julia Lobraña; and the Councilor for Education, Tourism and Equality of the León City Council, Mercedes Escudero.
The final session of the symposium aimed to introduce the participating organisations to the social fabric of the city of León. To this end, representatives from various local entities had been invited, including Flora Tristán, Simone de Beauvoir, Adavas, Fundación Sierra Pambley, Banco Santander Volunteers and the University of León, among others.
Learn more about the symposium here
