Where can families in Cabo Verde register a marriage, de facto union, or parentage?

Marriage, recognition of a de facto union, and parentage procedures are handled through the civil registry offices and Civil Registry. Depending on the procedure, a de facto union may require birth, residence, and criminal-record documents, a CNI, and witnesses.

Which service supports families with children in Cabo Verde when protection is needed?

ICCA provides psychological and social family support as well as day, protection, and emergency centres. In cases of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment of a child, the public prosecution service and courts may also be involved.

How can vulnerable households in Cabo Verde access social family support?

Access often begins with voluntary and confidential household registration in the CSU through MFIDS or the Municipal Council. A situation assessment, Family Plan, follow-up, and an eligibility review for benefits such as the time-limited RSI may then follow.

What caregiving services are available for older people in families in Cabo Verde?

The care system includes family-based, home-based, community, and institutional care. Depending on the municipality, the National Caregivers Network, outpatient services, NGOs, care homes, or day centres may be available; specific availability depends on the location.

Where can families in Cabo Verde report gender-based violence?

ICIEG, victim-support centres, shelters, and the police or justice route provide assistance. Reports of gender-based violence can be made free of charge by calling 132.

Family in Cabo Verde

Family in Cabo Verde covers parenthood, kinship, shared living, care, maintenance, caregiving, separation, and protection from violence. Formal relationships such as marriage, de facto union, parentage, and adoption are handled through state authorities, while social support and caregiving are partly provided by municipalities, families, and communities. Rights and duties depend, among other things, on parenthood, care arrangements, protection needs, and the particular family situation.

byCatarina&Carlos

The Portuguese word família refers to family relationships and responsibilities. By contrast, a household (agregado familiar) describes people who live together and share housing or living expenses. Such a household is therefore not automatically a legal family. The civil registry offices (Conservatórias) and the Civil Registry (Registo Civil) are responsible for marriage (casamento), de facto union (união de facto), parentage (filiação), acknowledgment of parentage (perfilhação), adoption (adoção), and death registration (óbito). Gov.cv provides, among other things, services for marriage, acknowledgment of paternity or maternity, registers for minors, and the registration of foreign marriages, divorces, or parentage decisions. A de facto union may, under certain conditions, be recognized or registered through an application and birth, residence, and criminal-record documents, a Citizen Identity Card (CNI), and witnesses. Parents and other caregivers bear primary responsibility for children's living costs, health, housing, clothing, and education. The Child and Adolescent Statute (ECA), Law 72/X/2026, protects, among other things, life, health, education, participation, family life, and development. Child-protection services (ICCA) provide psychological and social support to families, operate day, protection, and emergency centres, arrange foster care, and support reunification with the family of origin or national adoption. In cases of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment of a child, ICCA, the Ministry of Public Prosecution (Ministério Público), and the courts may be involved. Social support is organized nationally through the national social-support body (MFIDS) and the social-inclusion directorate (DGIS), but locally it is often delivered through the Municipal Council (Câmara Municipal) and its social services. Registration of a household in the Unified Social Register (Cadastro Social Único, CSU) is voluntary, confidential, and may include a home visit with consent; it regularly serves as an access requirement for social-security benefits. The Social Inclusion Income (Rendimento Social de Inclusão, RSI) amounts to 5,500$00 per month according to the research, is time-limited, and is aimed at especially vulnerable households selected according to eligibility criteria. The social-support pathway (SAIF) combines registration, an assessment of the situation, a Family Plan, follow-up, and evaluation. Childcare includes nursery care (Creche) for children aged 0 to 3 and pre-primary education (Pré-escolar) for children aged 4 to 5. Services may be organized by municipalities, private providers, or NGOs; coverage and cost support vary by island and municipality. Older people and people with disabilities have access to family-based, home-based, community, and institutional forms of care. The National Caregivers Network (Rede Nacional de Cuidadores), municipal services, NGOs, outpatient services, care homes (Lares), and day centres (Centros de Dia) perform different functions. Households with an older person needing care may receive priority consideration for social housing. In cases of gender-based violence, gender-equality support services (ICIEG), victim-support centres, shelters, and the victim-support network (Rede Sol/SIGO) provide advice and protection. Reports of gender-based violence can be made free of charge by calling 132; ICCA receives child-protection reports at 800 10 20. After separation or divorce, responsibility for children, care arrangements, contact, maintenance, and housing can be regulated through family- and child-related court proceedings. Unpaid maintenance can be legally enforced and sanctioned. Fees and processing times depend on the specific service or proceeding, while social benefits require additional evidence and compliance with programme conditions.

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