Homelessness and the Need for Social Protection: A Call for Structural Solutions

Homelessness remains one of the most visible symptoms of systemic inequality. Often treated as an emergency or moral failure, it is in fact driven by structural gaps in housing systems, social protection, and governance. Across regions, policies are shifting toward more inclusive approaches, but progress is uneven, and many groups remain excluded. 

Rethinking What It Means to Be Homeless 

Homelessness is understood broadly to include people sleeping on the street, in shelters, in unsafe or overcrowded housing, or without legal access to stable housing. Definitions vary widely across countries, and the absence of a shared standard undermines global coordination. Crucially, homelessness is not only about lacking shelter but also about the loss of safety, stability, and connection. 

Only 78 countries report official homelessness data, and just 24 go beyond counting people in shelters. Rural homelessness, informal workers, and marginalized groups are often left out. For example, women, youth, migrants and Indigenous Peoples are especially underrepresented. Promising practices include Colombia’s detailed street-dweller census, Brazil’s participatory survey, and Chile’s 2024 national count. 

Structural Drivers and Policy Gaps 

In many contexts, homelessness is treated as a public nuisance rather than a policy failure. Laws that punish people for sleeping in public or being visibly homeless persist, despite human rights concerns. While some progress has been made, such as the UK’s repeal of the 1824 Vagrancy Act, many places continue to rely on enforcement instead of support. 

Key drivers include rising rents, insecure tenure, land speculation, and weak legal protections. Informal workers are excluded from assistance due to lack of contracts or income proof. Displaced people and stateless persons face legal barriers to housing. For women, unequal property rights and shelter restrictions compound risks. Older persons, persons with disabilities, and youth aging out of care systems face persistent exclusion. 

Toward Rights-Based Solutions 

Emergency shelters remain essential, but long-term solutions require permanent, affordable housing linked to support services. Cities like Barcelona and Delhi have created hubs that connect people to health care, legal aid, and employment. France and Spain use rental mediation to engage private landlords. Canada’s Reaching Home model enabled flexible pandemic responses. In Viet Nam, housing support is tied to small business and education programs. 

Upgrading informal settlements, rather than clearing them, is presented as a key strategy. The report also highlights culturally grounded housing models, like New Zealand’s Māori-led strategy, and calls for greater support to community-led housing. 

Social protection is central. A strong safety net can prevent housing loss and support reintegration. This includes rent supplements, disability benefits, legal aid, and trauma-informed care. Services must be universal, accessible, and adapted to local needs. The Secretary-General’s report, Inclusive policies and programmes to address homelessness (A/80/316), underscores that without robust social protection systems, progress on homelessness will remain fragile and uneven. Social protection is key to inclusive and lasting social development around the world. 

Read the full report here.