Do you think separated parents should pay child maintenance?

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In the UK when parents separate, the separated parent, normally the father, becomes a 'secondary' parent. The 'primary' parent normally the mother gets 100% of the child benefits and tax credits associated with having a child. She also gets treated as the only parent that matters for many purposes including deciding whether to have an abortion, registering the birth, choosing the school, religion, circumcision and other matters including the child's name. Whilst in some of these theoretically a father has a say, in reality the mother has the veto. Then there is child maintenance on top. The 'secondary' parent gets no help from the state whatsoever towards his costs of sharing care of the child AND on top he has to pay up to 25% of his net income until the youngest child reaches 19 or leaves full time education. I think this is entirely unfair and discriminatory - what do you think?