Worldwide Movement To End Homelessness Launches At First Global Gathering Of Researchers, Practition
- Jun 9, 2015
- 4 min read
About 30 countries were represented at the first global gathering of researchers and providers of services to homeless people. Click here for interactive map.
Known as rough sleeping in the United Kingdom, pavement dwelling in India and street homelessness in many places around the world, the lack of adequate housing is a global phenomenon that can be eliminated. That was the conclusion of a group of 100 researchers, policymakers and service providers from about 30 countries* who gathered at DePaul University in Chicago in June 2015 at the invitation of the Institute of Global Homelessness to start an international movement to end homelessness.
In a motivational and challenging address, Louise Casey, head of the UK Government’s Troubled Families Programme, said, “Homelessness is a global issue that demands our attention now. It is not a hopeless or helpless and unsolvable problem.”
Appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron, Casey urged those gathered to consult research, but to keep action as their top priority. She warned against simply writing a better research report or producing another strategy while “human beings are still dying out there on our streets and we knew what we could do about it and we weren’t prepared to take the challenging and difficult steps in order to bring an end to that homelessness.”
Finland is poised to become the first nation to resolve the issue of homelessness. Its housing-first approach has proved extraordinarily successful. This approach to ending homelessness, which was first implemented in New York City, provides housing to homeless people as quickly as possible. The provision of housing is not contingent on compliance with conditions. Rather, supportive services and connections to community-based programs are made available, if needed, once stable, permanent housing is established. Meanwhile, several American cities have announced that they have found homes for all military veterans in their communities.
Indu Singh of the National Forum for Housing Rights/ActionAid India was encouraged by the challenge to end homelessness. “It’s possible, and we shall do it,” he said. “We are unstoppable and shall relentlessly pursue the dream of a home for all.”
The first step for attendees was to agree upon categories of people living in unstable housing situations and understanding homelessness in countries that vary widely in their recognition and concern for people who do not have homes. “A common language and reference point is essential for meaningful dialogue, not just amongst researchers, but also between policymakers and practitioners,” said Suzanne Fitzpatrick, a research professor of Housing and Social Policy at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland.
She, along with Volker Busch-Geertsema, a senior researcher at the Association for Innovative Social Research and Social Planning in Germany; and Dennis Culhane, a professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania were commissioned by the Institute to propose a framework outlining aspects of global homelessness. It was designed to establish a common language around all forms of homelessness and reach agreement on the forms of homelessness the Institute would address. The latter includes people living on streets or sleeping in public spaces, such as parks and forests; in spaces not intended for habitation like transportation stations or abandoned buildings; in vehicles, night shelters, hostels and other temporary accommodations; or refuges for women and children seeking safety from domestic violence.
Identifying how many people lack adequate housing internationally has been a constant challenge. Busch-Geertsema noted that in the 2011 European Census, 10 of the 28 European member states provided no homelessness numbers at all. In several countries the reported numbers were unreliable, questionable or so wildly different that they are incomparable and virtually meaningless due in part to varying methodologies and definitions. And yet, he notes, the United Nations estimates that 100 million people worldwide no have a place to live.
Culhane addressed the diverse methods of counting used to develop such estimates and indicated, “We’re unlikely to have a comprehensive global count any time soon. But it is important that we start and don’t feel stymied. The research and counting is important, but it is intended to support the practice and policy work.” There is a lot that can be done to address the nature of the problem even if researchers cannot yet fully quantify the dimension of it, he noted.
The Institute of Global Homelessness will begin to support researchers, on-the-ground leaders and policymakers around the world to address the root causes of homelessness, with eliminating these causes as its endgame.
Latin American participants used the conference to get a jump start on this effort. After meeting in Chicago, participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain began forming a regional network to collaborate on issues of homelessness.
Story by Denise Mattson
*Attendees came from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Philippines, USA and Wales.
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