Summary of presentation of information

Participants:

• Jean Quinn – Executive Director UNANIMA International, Co-Chair of the Working Group to End Homelessness
• Balakrishnan Rajagopal – UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, Professor of Law and Development, MIT
• Leilani Farha - Global Director of The Shift
• Dr. Mininim Oseji, Immediate Past National President of the Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (MWAN)
• Dr. Jennifer Bhuiyan - Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at St. John’s University, Clinical Pharmacist in Primary Care at Project Renewal
• Sr. Aisha Kavalakattu - Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Nepal
• Dana Marlowe and Diamond Cotton — I Support the Girls

The impact of climate change on homeless women and girls is not often discussed, however the Working Group to End Homelessness amplified the issue during this Parallel Event for the 66th Commission on the Status of Women. Jean Quinn, Co-chair of the Working Group to End Homelessness and Executive Director of UNANIMA International, emphasised the need for homeless women to have their voices heard, as they are the experts with lived experience of the issue. So often we hear only from experts without any real lived experience of the problem, and it is important to widen our perspectives. Additionally, this session brought to the attention of the attendees the lack of research focused on women in climate change and the absence of women in climate negotiations.

Climate Change impacts homeless communities in a variety of ways. Climate disasters continue to further aggravate displacement, leading 14 million people to be made homeless each year, according to UN Special Rapporteur, Balakrishnan Rajagopal. Those experiences are also more likely to be seeking shelter in areas which are more prone to natural disasters, such as lowlands. This leaves homeless populations exposed to the elements and extreme weather, causing a negative impact on their health.

Dr. Jennifer Bhuiyan, Clinical Pharmacist in Primary Care at Project Renewal, described in great detail the health risks that homelessness during the current climate crisis poses. Exposure to the elements can cause frostbite, dehydration, and heatstroke, additionally unhoused peoples are at a greater risk of respiratory illness. Foodborne, waterborne, and vector borne diseases also threaten the lives of those experiencing homelessness, aggravated by a lack of access to clean drinking water.

Mental Health is an additional health concern faced by those experiencing homelessness, particularly in LGBTQ+ youth. According to Dr. Bhuiyan, 28% of LGBYQ+ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Additionally, unhoused LGBTQ+ youth experienced higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide, etc… than their housed counterparts. Lack of mental health care is one of the many compounding factors effecting unhoused peoples.

The changing climate leaves women and girls particularly vulnerable, as women experience higher mortality rates in climate disasters and experience more gender-based violence in the aftermath. Women are also more likely to experience what is referred to as ‘hidden homelessness’ which include women, particularly mothers with children, who cannot support themselves seeking shelter in the homes of friends and family which leave them vulnerable to abuse. Recently, there has been the additional stress of Covid-19, which saw a disproportionate loss of jobs for women and heightened the impact of each of these factors.

Sister Aisha Kavalakattu of Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Nepal, put climate disaster into perspective when describing the aftermath of the 2015 Nepalese earthquake. Displaced people were forced to live in tents until they were able to build and move into temporary housing. During the interim, the women were relied upon to provide childcare and schooling to the young. In this vulnerable time, Sister Kavalakattu described how the women were susceptible to trafficking and how information sessions were held to protect them.

The unique needs of Cisgender and Transgender women, as well as nonbinary individuals must also be taken into account when considering the healthcare needs of people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Bhuiyan emphasised a need for trauma informed care for those who have been victims of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence. Moreover, there are unique needs that are often overlooked by those providing medical care to unhouse people, such as reproductive healthcare, which can include period products, pregnancy healthcare, and postpartum care, as well as cancer screenings such as mammograms or pap smears. Dana Marlowe of ‘I Support the Girls’ explained the efforts by her organisation to provide women-specific products to shelters and refugee centres, such as bra’s, underwear, pads, tampons, etc…, and explained how, often, during disasters these products are not included in emergency kits or are failed to be retrieved, despite being a necessity.

Panellists called for a change in approach regarding the global homelessness crisis. In particular, the relative inaction by the relative parties. It is generally accepted that the crisis should be addressed, however the panellists posit that there is not enough force behind the solutions. Leilani Farha, Global Director of The Shift, expressed her view on policymakers stating, “It’s not that they don’t care, its that they perhaps don’t care enough”.

What information shared in this meeting is of significance to The Salvation Army and why?

The information shared by experts in this meeting may be beneficial to inform Salvation Army programmes regarding climate change, disaster relief, and homelessness in the future, while simultaneously providing a gendered-lens that is often absent in this field of research.

What is The Salvation Army currently doing to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals addressed in this meeting?

The Salvation Army has many initiatives to combat homelessness and poverty, as well as a robust Emergency Disaster Relief service that works to respond to disasters, including those induced by the changing climate.

What opportunities are there for The Salvation Army to create or further develop the work in this area?

There is opportunity to explore allyship with healthcare providers alongside the Salvation ‘s work providing services to unhoused communities, in order to connect them to resources that they need. There is also opportunity to explore the ways in which we address unique healthcare needs during disaster relief, such as the provision of pads and tampons.

Web links for more information

https://www.wgehomelessness.org/events-1/qrs4edbygv6jhct1dzej5uhf8k78rk