Who is a cardboard sleeper and why should special attention be paid to women cardboard sleepers? / Mehrnoush No’odost
From the sounds of drums and tambourines, it was understood that they had arrived; a caravan of about one hundred women, children, and men who announced their entry into the city with dancing and singing. The mother would say, “The summer travelers are coming after their long journey.” It was the same every year; the local children would run after them and dance, while the women watched from the doorways of their homes or sometimes joined in to buy trinkets from them when they stopped. The mother waited every year for the arrival of the travelers so she could see a satisfied heart and have her fortune told. In the end, she would say, “Who knows what the mothers are saying! They may not speak like us, but even though they do not share our religion and faith, they know our secrets.”
The homes of the nomads were on the streets, fields, and gardens surrounding the neighborhoods. They did not want a permanent place to live and were always on the move. Now, in a metropolis like Tehran, there are no more nomads to tell stories of a different way of life with their music and songs. Instead, there are homeless and marginalized people. The nomads have also been integrated into the modern and chaotic face of the city and have settled in one place.
Homelessness in the city is a social phenomenon that many theorists consider to be damaging. Unlike nomads, homeless people are not a happy group with a different lifestyle, but rather individuals who are vulnerable and marginalized by society. Homelessness has a different definition depending on the geography and legal and social laws of each country; for example, in America, anyone or family who cannot provide a permanent shelter for themselves and lives in government or private shelters or public places is considered homeless. In Iran, there is no specific definition of homelessness in the law or government resolutions; only according to the decision of the Supreme Administrative Council in 1378, “public and government agencies such as municipalities, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, law enforcement and welfare are required to collect and deliver disabled and incapacitated individuals (physically and mentally), orphans, unknown individuals, stranded individuals, lost individuals, fugitives, and professional beggars to rehabilitation centers.” However, every few years, the municipality or city council in
Although there is no specific legal definition of homelessness in Iran, it can be recognized by examining factors such as poverty, unemployment, urban development, and cultural divides. Terms such as “cardboard sleeper,” “floor sleeper,” “grave sleeper,” “roof sleeper,” “car sleeper,” and “bird sitter” each refer to a specific group of homeless people in Iran. Some of these terms refer to undocumented migrants in the city or seasonal workers. Some homeless people are those who have lost their shelter due to poverty and have temporary and unsafe housing, such as roof sleepers or car sleepers, who have jobs but cannot afford housing. Some are also addicts and drug users who are more vulnerable to harm compared to other groups.
The specific topic being investigated in this case is “women’s cardboard box sleeping”; therefore, considering the above classification, it is necessary to ask what cardboard box sleeping is and what differences it has with the general concept of homelessness, and why addressing women’s cardboard box sleeping and paying attention to gender in this phenomenon is essential.
A cardboard sleeper is someone who lives on the streets due to poverty, violence, addiction, unemployment, or mental health issues. These individuals have no shelter and have been abandoned by their families and society; meaning their emotional bonds have been broken or disrupted and they have been subjected to sexual, physical, or mental violence. Cardboard sleepers not only lack the ability to provide shelter, but they are also unable to provide food, clothing, hygiene products, medical services, and medication. Most of these individuals are addicted or dependent. Addiction is closely intertwined with the term “cardboard sleeper”. In most cases, the individual becomes addicted after experiencing homelessness and ends up in the group of cardboard sleepers. What sets the group of cardboard sleepers apart from other homeless individuals is the issue of addiction and the ways in which they obtain money, substances, and food; they are also more susceptible to diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis, and sexually transmitted diseases compared to others. Therefore, it can be said that
Cardboard beds can be designed in various forms in terms of age, gender, place of residence, and cultural and social background. Women and sexual minorities are generally more vulnerable among these individuals. Women and sexual minorities are more likely to experience sexual assault and violence; many of them also engage in sexual work to support their lives and obtain drugs, which has serious health consequences. Among them, women face the issues of unwanted pregnancies, risky abortions, and untreatable infections, which make their situation much more complicated. Often, children born to these women, if they survive, either have physical and mental disabilities or, if they are healthy, grow up without a guardian and on the streets. What you are reading in this case is the sufferings and problems of these women, along with an examination of the support mechanisms and the society and government’s approach towards them.
Notes:
For further reading, see Aliourdinia, Akbar, Sociology of Homelessness, Tehran: 1390, Sociologists Publications.
Jahi is the first woman and the daughter of Ahriman in ancient Iranian mythology. She is the one who inherits Ahriman to attack the creations of Ahura Mazda again after a period of defeat and withdrawal. The belief in Ahriman’s influence on women in Iran has continued from the era of myths until today.
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