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When we think about homelessness, it’s easy to imagine it as a universal experience of people without shelter, sleeping on sidewalks or in temporary shelters. The reality is that homelessness looks very different depending on where in the world you are. Around the world, homelessness takes many different forms, shaped by local economics, history, policy, and culture.
At its core, homelessness is about more than lacking a physical roof- it’s about instability, insecurity and disconnection. While the root challenges may be similar, the ways people experience and navigate homelessness vary dramatically depending on where they live.
1. Homelessness in High-Income Countries: A Crisis in Plain Sight
In high-income countries such as the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia, homelessness is often visible and growing. In the U.S. alone, over 653,000 people experienced homelessness in 2023, the highest number recorded since reporting began (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], 2023).Behind these numbers are many intersecting causes: unaffordable housing, underfunded mental health services, systemic racism, and gaps in the social safety net.
In Canada, the crisis carries an especially heavy toll on Indigenous communities. Although Indigenous people make up just 5% of the national population, they account for over 30% of the homeless population in major urban centers (Gaetz et al., 2016). It's a stark reflection of intergenerational trauma, colonial history, and systemic inequity that continues today..
2. In Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Hidden in Informality
In lower-income countries, homelessness is often hidden. Instead of people sleeping rough, many live in informal settlements or slums, often without secure tenure or basic services. According to UN-Habitat (2020), more than one billion people globally live in informal settlements, primarily in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In cities like Nairobi, Dhaka, or Rio de Janeiro, entire communities reside in makeshift housing, frequently exposed to eviction, floods, or poor sanitation. Children and youth are particularly vulnerable. UNICEF estimates that tens of millions of children live or work on the streets worldwide, often uncounted in official data (UNICEF, 2012).
3. Policy and Culture: How Countries respond
Government responses vary widely across countries:
4. The Common Thread: A Need for Dignity and Belonging
Across borders and cultures, one truth connects all of these realities: homelessness is not just about housing, it’s about losing access to safety, opportunity, and dignity.
Whether in Toronto or Lagos, people without stable shelter often face the same barriers: stigma, poor health outcomes, exclusion from employment or education, and the daily erosion of hope. According to the OECD (2020), these challenges create cycles of poverty that are difficult to break without targeted, compassionate intervention.
5. What Global Perspectives Teach Us
Seeing homelessness from a global perspective shows just how important it is to tailor solutions to each place and situation. What works in one country may not work in another—but some values, like empathy, fairness, and dignity, matter everywhere.
Take Finland, for example. Its “Housing First” model might not translate directly to cities in the Global South, where the challenges and resources are different. But the core idea—that everyone deserves a home without having to prove they’re “ready” for it—can still offer guidance and inspiration.
Homelessness may take different forms around the world, but the need for safe, secure, and affordable housing is universal. The more we learn about how different communities face this issue, the better we can work toward solutions that are not only effective—but compassionate too.
References
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