Upon divorce wives are not entitled to alimony and both parents are responsible for maintenance of their children up to 18 years of age, or 25 if they are students. The right to alimony triggers only if one of the parties is declared unable to work and for a limit of three years. Child support is based on the parents' earnings and on the child's needs. Law treats children born out of wedlock equally to those born within marriage. Child and Family Policies Poverty profile Even before the 1997 crisis poverty was widely spread.
Poverty is more pervasive in rural areas but more severe in towns.
When extended households are headed by women poverty incidence in twice that of male-headed families and the poverty gap is higher. However education alone is not an antidote against poverty. Since 1991 an increasing number of people migrated from rural areas towards Tirana. Living conditions are particularly difficult in the capital sub-urban areas that have experienced rapid growth and unregulated development resulting from recent migrations. Those areas still lack adequate roads, sanitation, water supply electricity as well as health and education basic services.