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Diva
updated 2 Jan 2012, 14:45
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Tue, Sep 27, 2011
Diva
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New centre to help divorced women with defaulting ex-spouses

With the number of dissolved marriages on the rise, the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) have set up a one-stop centre to help divorced women and their children deal with ex-husbands who default on maintenance payments.

Help measures provided by the Maintenance Support Central, or MSC, includes legal and financial advice, video link access with Family Court for filing enforcement complaints, and financial and emotional counseling related to maintenance defaults.

Opened on Tuesday by the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob, Madam Yacob said she was "heartened by [SCWO's] efforts to provide an added and improved service for the community."

Ms Laura Hwang, president of the organisation, told The Straits Times that the centre's ability to provide legal representation for such women sets it apart from other family service centres and legal clinics. MSC will also be working with the Law Society of Singapore's Pro Bono Service and the family bar to provide legal representation.

However, families will be put through means testing to prevent anyone from abusing the system.

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