Homelessness inflicts a deep blow to the dignity, social inclusion, and right to life of individuals. Homelessness is a blatant violation of the human right to adequate housing and goes beyond the right to life, violating other human rights such as the right to non-discrimination, the right to access to health, sanitation, water, security, and freedom from cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment.

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Homelessness exists even in countries that have sufficient resources to address this social problem, but to a large extent, the violation of this human right is immune from government accountability and rarely receives attention as a violation of a human right that requires positive government action to prevent and eliminate it. Homelessness not only indicates the failure of governments to ensure access to safe, affordable and adequate housing for all, but also violates several other human rights; for example, being homeless severely affects the health of individuals, subjects them to discrimination, jeopardizes their right to employment and education, and exposes them to police violence. Homelessness causes thousands of preventable deaths every year, indicating the failure of governments to adequately protect the right to life. Furthermore, it should be noted that the right to life encompasses more than just staying alive, as every human being has the right to enjoy life with dignity and respect.

Homeless individuals, especially women, are targeted and often face criminalization, violence, and oppressive policies instead of receiving support for their rights. Layers of injustice are imposed upon them instead of protecting their rights.

Individuals who experience homelessness are often discriminated against based on their housing situation or lack of a permanent address, which affects their political, economic, and social rights. The right to participate in elections, the right to work, and the right to access social benefits are among other human rights that put them at risk. A limited number of countries have laws that allow individuals experiencing homelessness to claim access to suitable, affordable, and privacy-ensuring housing. Beyond the regulations governing access to emergency shelters, only in some countries have the judicial system and courts had the courage to hold government authorities accountable for taking action and responding to homelessness based on their national and international commitments.

Homelessness is a global issue.

Despite the rich literature on the violation of human rights, homelessness and its social consequences, homelessness is considered one of the major, complex, multifaceted and growing challenges of the world today. Personal and socio-structural factors are involved in studies related to homelessness. Some of the most important personal factors that lead to homelessness include mental illness, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence, which can be considered as contributing factors to homelessness in many countries. On the other hand, in research related to homelessness in different countries, the most important socio-structural factors include poverty, economic inequality, unemployment, lack of suitable housing for low-income groups, and inefficiency, lack of coordination, and systematic and targeted welfare programs and social support by those in power and governments. According to United Nations research, 150 million people in the world lack the human right to adequate housing. 4.1 million homeless people live in Europe. 883 million people have become homeless due to environmental changes, and 1

In America, in big cities, a census of homeless people is conducted every two years. In the January 2020 census, 580,466 homeless individuals were counted, with 70% being individuals, 30% families and children, and 19% being chronically homeless (having been homeless for at least one year). In America, there is a rich literature about the causes of homelessness, as there are city, state, and federal institutions, as well as numerous non-governmental organizations working to reduce and prevent homelessness. In terms of gender distribution, in the January census, 352,213 were counted as male, 223,578 as female, 3,161 as transgender, and 1,460 as non-binary. Youth under the age of 25 without a guardian make up 6% of the homeless population.

Domestic violence leaves women more vulnerable.

Domestic violence is one of the prominent reasons for homelessness among women in America. In abusive family situations, these women are often forced to leave their homes. Researchers consider the social consequences of domestic violence to be the main cause of homelessness among women and children, and civil institutions, with government support, strive to break the vicious cycle of domestic violence and homelessness for women and provide a safe living space and suitable housing for victims so that families are not forced to live on the streets. Despite the fact that domestic violence is considered a crime in America and safe homes exist in both large and small cities, their capacity is still not enough. Many women who are victims of violence, and even some who are employed, face many challenges because they cannot find housing that is affordable. As a result, a significant percentage of these women return to or tolerate abusive relationships. In 2003, a study was conducted in Minnesota and the city of Fargo, North Dakota, on violence and homelessness among women, in which

Poverty and injustice are two factors that lead to exclusion from society.

Women and homelessness also have intertwined layers that, with an intersectional perspective, exacerbate social harms for homeless women. Poor women, due to their poverty, struggle to find a place in society and are easily victimized by various forms of discrimination. Structural factors such as poverty and social deprivation can have an impact on an individual’s vulnerability and contribute to the creation and perpetuation of homelessness. Poverty has a feminine face in the world and in America. According to an official report on poverty in 2019, 38.1 million people in America are living below the poverty line. Of this number, 21.1 million are women, with 10 million of them living in absolute poverty. A concerning and growing trend is that some of these women are employed, but do not have the financial means to secure housing. In terms of race, white people make up the largest racial group among the homeless population in America. In America, 30% of homeless individuals struggle with alcoholism,

Thirty-three percent of homeless women are addicted and thirty percent of women suffer from mental illnesses. Many researchers believe that addiction is a part of the process of homelessness.

Women who are homeless are also vulnerable to the harms of sexual assault and abuse, and their access to medical facilities is very limited. In a conversation with Wiki, an African-born woman who lived in her personal car with her two sons for a long time and worked with the writer in a campaign against homelessness in her hometown. She was able to break out of the cycle of homelessness and become an advocate for the rights of homeless people. In this friendly conversation, she talked about the hardships and challenges of life and how most emergency and temporary facilities are not suitable for families. Wiki came to California because she could not tolerate the extreme cold weather in the East Coast. She also talked about the lack of job or educational opportunities for returning to a normal life and how women have to work harder than men for their health needs, menstrual hygiene, and access to educational and job opportunities. She also appreciated the important role of civil institutions and non-governmental organizations in responding to the needs of homeless women, managing existing facilities

Non-governmental organizations play a very important role in addressing social issues. In America, there are one million eight hundred thousand non-governmental organizations. Of this number, charities mainly work to provide food, clothing, and temporary housing for the homeless. Many focus on medical and mental care, while others provide services to help the homeless gain skills and employment to escape homelessness. These services include facilities such as post office boxes for those without a permanent address, job interview skills workshops, short training courses, assistance for overcoming addiction, and legal and educational aid provided by grassroots organizations. In some cities, there are even homeless newspapers to give a voice to the homeless in larger discussions about these social issues.

In Iran, addiction is more acceptable among men.

Homelessness in Iran has various forms and titles: cardboard sleeping, train sleeping, bus sleeping, under-bridge sleeping, street sleeping, pipe sleeping, grave sleeping, and other terms. However, in the common language used in the media, “cardboard sleeping” is mentioned more often in relation to this vulnerable population. In Iran, there is no accurate information about cardboard sleepers and no national census is conducted. The lack of data and scientific research on the characteristics and features of homeless individuals makes it difficult to know their gender, age group, duration of homelessness, and reasons for their homelessness. The lack of accurate statistical data and expert programs, as well as the absence of effective strategies and solutions for prevention and addressing this social challenge, has led to an increase in the number of cardboard sleepers every day, without any response. According to officials in Tehran, there are only 24,000 cardboard sleepers in Tehran. More than half of the cardboard sleepers in the metropolis of Tehran

It is said that a high percentage of cardboard sleepers are addicted and twenty percent of them are women. The two trends of decreasing the age of female cardboard sleepers and the exponential growth of female cardboard sleepers are very concerning and tragic. The bitter reality of traditional patriarchal and anti-women policies in Iranian society causes women to be more vulnerable to addiction and be expelled from their families. The patriarchal and gender-biased society tolerates the addicted man more in the family, and addicted women of any age can end up homeless. Therefore, the average age of female cardboard sleepers has decreased to seventeen and eighteen years old. In some cases, if the cardboard sleeper is a child under the age of fifteen, they are handed over to welfare centers. In addition, there is limited social support and facilities to combat “masculine” cardboard sleeping and addiction; meaning that it is designed for men, organized for men, and is not able to effectively meet the needs of addicted women.

Next to addicted women cardboard beds, there are mentally ill patients who also do not benefit from support, in other countries; Some social researchers also refer to violence in the family as a reason for women’s cardboard beds in Iran. Considering the various forms of violence in private and public areas, home and work environment, streets and alleys, and the lack of safe houses for women who have experienced violence and the absence of social support and necessary services, it can be concluded that some women who sleep on cardboard beds in Iran have turned to the public space, homeless and dangerous streets to escape violence in the private space of their unsafe homes.

Alongside personal factors, homelessness among women, which is also considered a political issue, structural factors play a crucial role in a society where gender inequality is at its highest among countries in the world. Poverty, unemployment, gender discrimination, and economic, social, and political inequalities, lack of support institutions, lack of expert planning, and lack of political will to recognize the role of grassroots organizations have created favorable conditions for the increasing trend of women’s homelessness.

Women are considered second-class citizens.

In Iran, there are twenty million unemployed citizens and the unemployment rate for women in Iran is twice that of men. This gender gap is more than double in associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, and more than triple in doctoral degrees. Alongside this trend, women’s economic participation has seen a decreasing growth rate in recent years, dropping from 18.2% in 2018 to 15.7% in 2019. Additionally, as the majority of employed women work in the informal sector, women’s employment has seen a fourteen-fold decline compared to men during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Iran, there are nearly three million women who are the head of their households and are the most vulnerable group of women who could become homeless, yet they do not receive enough support and even the Welfare Organization is struggling with financial resources to carry out their programs.

Poverty is also one of the major social and structural causes that has led to the growing class divide and unprecedented polarization of wealth and poverty in Iran. Poverty can be seen as the mother of social ills. As poverty has a feminine face in Iran and in the world, women are more vulnerable and at a higher risk of falling into homelessness. According to the Deputy Minister of Labor, the number of people living below the poverty line in Iran will reach 30 million by the end of the current year, and this population, who mostly live on the outskirts of cities, make up 25% of the total population of Iran.

Given the complexity of these social and economic challenges, it can be predicted that the population of homeless families in Iran will also increase.

One of the other structural factors of the chaotic housing market in Iran is the Central Bank’s report of a 50.7% increase in housing rents in Dey month of 1400 compared to Dey month of 1399. On average, housing accounts for 55-60% of household expenses in 1399 and 1400, according to Rostam Qasemi, the Minister of Roads and Urban Development. Currently, on average, 60-70% of household expenses are spent on housing, according to Qasemi. Internationally, housing costs should account for 25-30% of household income. This huge gap reflects the gross violation of the human right to adequate housing in Iran. What strategies have the powerful owners implemented to provide suitable housing and prevent the rapid growth of homelessness for these vulnerable and marginalized segments of society, where women are in the darkest and most challenging part?

Inflation is also another structural factor that can exacerbate many social problems, including homelessness. Mehrad Rahdari, an economics professor, says: “In 1399 and 1398, we had a forty percent inflation rate, and today it is fifty percent, while this is a general inflation. If we look at the household basket, we have a seventy percent inflation rate. Have we increased their income by seventy percent?” He continues, “Almost seventy percent of the Iranian population are below the relative poverty line.”

Establishment of civil institutions is prohibited in Iran.

Alongside personal factors, which are always taken into account for women in politics, the social-structural factors, authoritarian and anti-democratic policies that restrict, weaken, and dismantle civil society organizations, also make it difficult and obstructive to provide assistance to homeless people, especially women who have little access to government resources and support. The reality is that one of the capacities to combat social harms is civil society organizations. These organizations can reduce the dimensions of social harms and prevent further damages by gaining the trust of the people. The closure of the “Sun House”, which was a safe haven for vulnerable women or those at risk, is an example of such policies. Leila Arshad, one of the managers of this institution, says in an interview that “as it is evident from the statements of officials, they want to hand over social work to more official institutions; meaning that other civil society organizations or unions will no longer be able to operate like in the past.”

At the end, considering that both Iran and America face social and serious challenges in dealing with social and humanitarian issues of homelessness, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue of homelessness at a time when people are supposed to stay at home to stay safe, there are common grounds for falling into the trap of homelessness such as poverty, addiction, mental illnesses, and domestic violence in both countries. However, as mentioned, in America, homelessness is often linked to addiction, while in Iran, many women become homeless and resort to sleeping on the streets due to being addicted. In both countries, there are narratives of sexual harassment and abuse. These assaults are mainly carried out not by the homeless population, but by ordinary people. In some states in America, positive projects and programs have been implemented at the city and state levels, and it seems that there are more favorable conditions for homeless individuals to return to a normal life.

In my limited experience of several years of voluntary work with the coalition of civil society organizations, churches, universities, government and social services, and private sector to help the homeless in the city, one of the striking differences of democracy, freedom, and encouragement is the creation and establishment of civil society organizations and their role in participation to reduce social harms and empower the homeless. Independent civil society organizations, independent of the government, have benefited from citizens’ financial assistance, which also includes tax support, to be able to provide services and not be closed down, and activists are rewarded and honored for their efforts. In recent years, state laws have tightened financial supervision on these organizations to ensure their activities continue in a healthy manner. Hoping for a day when all members of the human society, from Iran to America, have access to suitable housing and the human rights and dignity of all members of society are realized.

Notes:

Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing (A/HRC/43/43), paragraph 30.

Title of a work by Virginia Woolf.