Edition: U.S. / Global

Can Marriage Ease Child Poverty?

Published: February 24, 2002

To the Editor:

Re ''Welfare Chief Is Hoping to Promote Marriage'' (front page, Feb. 19): While the Bush administration tries to eliminate poverty by spending $100 million a year on marriage promotion, 40 percent of poor children already live in two-parent households.

Why are these two-parent households mired in poverty? Because poor women often marry poor men. Government marriage promotion won't change that. What people in poverty need are jobs that offer good wages and benefits. Women in particular need trained case managers who inform them of a variety of career opportunities, including historically male professions like construction, mechanics and truck driving. These jobs command higher pay than the ''pink collar'' jobs that recipients are typically steered into. The $100 million is far better invested in education and job training.



President, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund

New York, Feb. 19, 2002